The Heart’s True Love

James 4:4-5

Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? (James 4:4)

ONE OF THE BIG DEBATES OF the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance periods was whether Christians were to renounce society or engage with it. They asked, Is it better to withdraw into prayer and meditation or get involved in social life, creative activities, business, and politics? Should we have our own parallel institutions and governments or influence the ones that already exist? Is the Kingdom shaped more by contemplatives or activists?

Though none of these is an either/or question, a person’s theology inevitably sent him or her in one direction or the other, and this dynamic continues to play out today. Those who are waiting to escape the world through death or rapture will tend to draw near to God by pulling away from the mess of society. Those who envision the return of Jesus and his rule over the nations on earth will tend to prepare for his coming by getting involved. Each kind of believer finds plenty of biblical support, and each views his or her own focus as the essence of true spirituality.

The idea of being salt and light in the world suggests that we are to be engaged with it, of course. So why does James come down so hard on “friendship with the world”? Because there is a difference between being fully engaged with the world as a compassionate member of society and being ensnared as a lover of its idols. The heart is designed first to love God, then to love other people and the gifts God has given. The issue is whether we receive fulfillment from him or from mundane, temporary experiences and things. Human beings are called to a singular passion for him.

God sets all of his people apart for his purposes, and he guides most of us into occasional seasons of disengagement from outside influences so we can focus on him. But these are usually seasons rather than ongoing lifestyles. Follow the pattern of Jesus in being a friend of sinners (Matthew 11:19; Luke 15:2). Love the world as he does and influence it without adapting to its demands. Be fully engaged—and fully his.

{Lord, I love the gifts you have given, and I love the experiences you provide. Let me love your world without being influenced by unworthy attachments. May I never have a love that draws me into the world if it does not also draw me closer to you. Amen.