Week 22 Devotional | WORKS

Faith = Salvation + Works

Isaiah Thomas is an undersized, 5'9 point guard in the NBA who has WORKED hard and overcome adversity to have a great career. He was the very last pick in the NBA draft in the 2011 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings and played in Sacramento and in Phoenix with the Suns before becoming a star and MVP candidate for the Boston Celtics. In 2017, Isaiah finished 5th in the MVP voting as he led his team to the best record in the Eastern Conference. That same season, he broke his hip, requiring surgery and him to leave the playoffs in the middle of the conference finals. During that playoff run, Isaiah also lost his sister in a one-car collision. In a game of giants, Isaiah went from being the last pick of the draft to an NBA All-Star and MVP candidate. He was then faced to live and compete with the broken hip and the sudden, tragic death of his sister.

Isaiah is still WORKING hard and trying to fully recover from the injury, and he has not been able to recreate the success that he had in Boston, but he is determined to get another shot and prove to the world what kind of player he is. While WORKING and waiting for his shot, Isaiah is also working on a documentary about his journey. He said, "I want to tell my story because it relates to so many people in the world. Me being 5'9, me being counted out, and not given a real chance to succeed I think relates to the average person out there. To show them the ups and downs of a real career will only be beneficial to the next generation of people trying to make it, not just in basketball but in life. I have seen the bottom, I have seen the top, and I have seen the bottom again."

His story and commitment reminds me of a few verses in the Book of James. James was Jesus's brother, and even he didn't believe that Jesus was the true Messiah and Son of God until Jesus was resurrected from the dead. This shows that in life, we will all have doubters, but we have to keep faith in God and keep doing good WORK. Faith without WORKS can't be called faith. Faith without WORK is dead" ( James 2:26), James insists, and dead faith is worse than no faith at all (Stanley).

BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO PERSEVERES UNDER TRIAL BECAUSE, HAVING STOOD THE TEST, THAT PERSON WILL RECEIVE THE CROWN OF LIFE THAT THE LORD HAS PROMISED TO THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.

Jesus came to save us all. Jesus knows how tough life can be because He came and lived it. Jesus knows that life can be tough and full of challenges, setbacks, adversity, failure, and trouble, but Jesus tells us to take heart because he has overcome the world (John 16:33).

We learn more through our adversity, challenges, and failures than we do through our successes, so count it joy when you meet trials and adversity. Know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. When you are solid, firm, and unwavering in your love, respect, and fear of God through the trials and adversity of life, you become perfect and complete and lack nothing (James 1:2-4).

Be a doer of the word and not just a hearer. The one who hears and acts will be blessed.  

Isaiah was asked about his experience. He was asked how it was going from being the last pick to being an all-star and then having to fight again for a spot in the NBA. He was then asked about the injuries and how it all weighed on him as a person. Isaiah said it was hard. He said that he has seen the bottom, seen the top, and then saw the bottom again. Isaiah said that it all weighed on him a lot. He said it hurt and it killed his spirit. He said that what helped him through those times was having his sons at home, his small circle of friends, his small circle of family, and his mentors supporting him. They were his motivation to get back and to get one more chance to show that he can still play at a high level.  

We all have tough, hard times. The world can be very tough on us all, and we have to have people in our corner that keep us going. Isaiah Thomas leaned on his family, friends, and mentors. We also have Jesus and the Holy Spirit to lean on and give us guidance. We can and should ask God for wisdom and believe without doubting that it will be given to us (James 1:5).

Real, genuine faith endures trials and setbacks. Faith helps you fully enjoy the good times, and faith helps you endure the hard times. Having faith should inspire and empower you to do great things. Hard times are a part of life; you should expect them. But when you have real faith in Jesus, you can take on those challenges head-on and develop endurance, which develops strength of character, and character leads to hope (Romans 5:4).

Click here for a Google doc version: Week 22 | Works

References

Stanley, Charles. The Life Principles Bible. Nashville, Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1982.

"What's the Dea with Faith and Works in James?" The Gospel Coalition, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/faith-works-james/.