"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."
James 1:17
Part 1
Every year we husbands are faced with the daunting task of finding the “perfect Christmas gift” for our wives. Although this is an intimidating task, hopefully, we have picked up on the hints she has been dropping since last August… It is reassuring to know that there is someone who never misses with the gifts He gives.
“Every good gift.”
We expect from the “Good God,” — “good gifts.” And God’s gifts are forever in character with His goodness. Yes, His gifts are good, even though they may not always be recognized as such. In my childish immaturity, my grandmother’s Christmas gift of new socks was seen as a “bad gift.” Socks aren’t the latest popular toy or something a boy could brag to his friends about receiving. But as a married man with boys, I came to appreciate those “bad gifts” for my sons!
In this phrase, “every good gift,” the word “gift” means “the act of giving or the gift in its initiatory stage.”[1] It is expressing “the abstract act of giving….”[2] God is the great “Giver.” He always knows what we need.
“And every perfect gift.”
Every gift God gives to us is “perfect” for us. He never misses. This second word, “gift” means “a gift, bounty, benefaction”[3] (Thayer). Some of the old-timers used to call this kind of gift “a boon” from God. We need to think about these two ideas of “gifts” together.
“The perfection of the one flows from the goodness of the other.”[4]
The perfect gift, “…that which is entire, where there is nothing even apparently wanting to complete it; where it can be regarded as good as a whole and in all its parts. The general sense is, that God is the author of all good. Everything that is good on the earth we are to trace to him…”[5] (Barnes).
What does this verse teach us about God’s goodness? Come back tomorrow, and we will continue to look at what it says.
[1] Jamison, Fausset, and Brown. Jamison-Fausset-Brown’s Commentary, the electronic version in eSword.
[2] Cambridge Bible, the electronic version in eSword.
[3] J.H. Thayer, Thayer’s Greek Definitions, the electronic version in eSword.
[4] Cambridge Bible, ibid.
[5] Albert Barnes, Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.