Daily Lesson for May 11, 2015

Today's daily lesson comes from James chapter 1 verses 9 through 11:

9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

Saturday I saw the roses on our rose bush were brilliant with color after all this past week's rain. It being the day before Mother's Day, I made a mental note to come back and cut some of those brilliant pinks and reds the next day. When I did come out yesterday after church I was saddened to discover most of roses -- and all of the most brilliant ones had wilted in the sun. 

The flower fades and the grass withers and 60 or 70 years of life pass by in a flash. This is reality -- a reality we must come to if we are not to dwell in the sadness and grief of it. The only thing which then can be done is for us to live in the moment -- to enjoy today's brilliance, beauty, and color today, before it fades. 

In today's daily lesson James warns the rich man about the flower's fall.  It is not because the rich man is rich that he needs warning. It is because he thinks he is not rich enough. He thinks that if he could just have a little more then he will be rich -- enough. He lives completely in tomorrow and misses today; but when today finally turns to tomorrow time runs out, the flower wilts, and the rich man falls. The rich man had been poor all along because he was never rich today, but only trying to get rich for tomorrow. 

So here's the lesson. Enjoy the flower's beauty while it lasts. Marvel and wonder at it. Enjoy today -- this "eternal now", realize how rich it is, and do not put off delighting in anything or anyone until tomorrow.  For today's delight is enough for today and only ever for today!