The Lodestar

James exhorts the congregations under his care to stand unmoved by the sufferings they had to endure for the gospel's sake. We do not know what kind of suffering they had to face—poverty, persecution, ridicule, and the list is endless.

He opened the letter by asking them to consider all the pain that befell them as joyful: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” (James 1:2—3).

James encouraged the believers not to avoid suffering or get around it by some means but to face it, knowing it is God’s plan for them. Contrary to some modern preachers, James, the brother of Jesus, who suffered and died, could find purpose in suffering. That divine purpose is to make the disciples endure their pain, in the words of James, to produce “steadfastness,” or the quality to withstand pain.

He concludes the exhortation to endure suffering by pronouncing a blessing: “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial.” They have a reward: “the crown of life.” The crown James describes is not worn by the rulers, which they receive hereditarily, but the one given to the victors in athletics. The suffering believers will not perish in their suffering, but they will survive with divine help and step on the victory stand. They will be winners, not losers.

“The crown of life” means the crown that is life, or the eternal life the Lord promised the faithful. As we endure the sufferings that come our way, we emerge as winners to claim the life that has no end, life with God forever.

The book of James offers a new perspective on suffering and life. Life will have suffering, but suffering never brings an end to life. However, enduring suffering joyfully leads to life abundant now and eternal on the other side of death.