C’EST LA VIE (THAT’S LIFE)
(7-minute read)
When we say ‘c’est la vie’, it means ‘such is life’. It often implies a fatalistic resignation and the feeling that one can do little to change life’s outcomes. We hope and pray that we will survive and emerge stronger on the other side of adversity. But if we are serious about doing life with God (and with each other), it will be anything but predictable.
The book of James (written by the apostle James) is known for its focus on the practical aspects of Christian living and it often addressed ordinary people like us – ambitious, well-traveled, and used to a certain standard of living.
13Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. 17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. (James 4:13-17).
If all this sounds familiar, it is because James was talking about followers who were always busy making ‘important plans’, doing anything they felt were beneficial to themselves, and showed little to no interest in what mattered to God. If we are honest, we often prefer to hang around people who support our existing lifestyles rather than those who provoke us to think about how we live so that we will have impact on other lives for the glory of God.
The three basic questions that can help to reframe our lives each day are: What is life? How will I live each day? Will I make my life count for Jesus?
The answer - from James 4:13-17 - can be found in three clear warnings:
LIFE IS FRAGILE
John Piper opined with great insight that ‘Life is precarious, and life is precious. Don't presume you will have it tomorrow, and don't waste it today.’ We may not necessarily be gone tomorrow but we or someone close to us may experience a crisis that changes everything for us. Are you confident that your faith can stand up to setbacks and let-downs?
In verse 14, James asserted, “Why? You do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” The photos on our Instagram and Facebook posts may endure but life is not about the social narratives we put out there, or the positive comments from our followers. Each new day promises potential and possibilities with God on so many levels – to let the truth of the Word examine us to effect necessary changes, to obey God, to love Him better, to be more present for God and others, to learn what it means to live with a purpose.
That’s why you need to make your life count for the Lord every day. Reading the Bible – not just excerpts from devotionals – is a good way to keep your mind open to the teaching from God’s Word.
Psalm 39:4 teaches us, “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered - how fleeting my life is.”
Ephesians 5:15 [NLT] reminds us, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.”
Are you under-utilizing all that God wants to create through you because you only want to stay in the ‘safe zone’ and focus on doing the minimum that keeps you busy? How will you justify the under-utilization of God’s grace and truth in your life and relationships?
LIFE WITH GODLESS PLANNING
No one goes through life without some sort of planning. Whether it is done instinctively on the fly or it involves greater detailing, everything we do involves some kind of planning to organize our resources. We plan for our children’s school exams and daily schedules. We plan for our meals at least three times a day! We plan ahead for weddings and funerals. We plan workout routines to maintain physical fitness. We plan to stay in regular touch with some people. Even something spontaneous involves quick planning for it to happen.
It is futile to make a distinction in our planning between what is secular and what is spiritual, and what must involve God and what is so common that we should just get on with it ourselves! James cautioned against such godless planning: “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that. As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.” (James 4:13, 15).
In reality, everything in life should involve God so that our lives may be effective, productive and profitable for the Kingdom.
Whose voice do you always follow? Your spouse? Your employer? The voice of your desires, or your habitual tendency to be over-involved? How often do you pause to have a chat with God about what is on His heart each day throughout the day? If you make the Lord our compass, you will see Kingdom success, spiritual fruitfulness and personal fulfillment.
Here are two Scripture verses that are worthy of a Post-It note on your wall:
“Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.” (Ephesians 5:17 NLT)
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” (Proverbs 16:3)
LIFE WITH SIN OF OMISSION
The bystander effect describes the phenomenon where we choose to do nothing that can affect a positive outcome when we witness someone experiencing something distressing because we expect others to act instead. We justify that someone else is more ‘qualified’ to make a judgment call, or we say that it does not bother us as much. We stay uninvolved as long as we can tolerate a problem, and we think we are acting godly and exercising patience and grace. But the truth is, not getting involved is choosing not to do something we know we ought to do. “If anyone, then knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” (James 4:17).
Often, we choose to stay out of being involved because we want to ‘play it safe’ so that our intentions will not be misconstrued. We know we need to speak to someone about the love of Christ, but we avoid doing it because we do not want to reveal our own stories. We know a friend needs prayer but we say we don’t know how to pray well, so we just send a short text and check for updates on their situation. We travel far to help build homes in desolate places but we won’t approach a neighbour living next door who needs help with her groceries or a pest control issue.
In Matthew 23:23, religious leaders were called out for the appearance of godliness but that lacked simple human empathy. They focused more on the rituals of religion and church duties than they paid attention to “the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness.” It is far easier to do things that involve little human interaction than it is to enter someone’s pain room and offer our presence (‘What are we going to say?’). It sounds right to argue that policies and laws will help people in need rather than personally intervene and step into messy places of injustice and mistreatment to effect a change. The flagrant neglect of involvement is what this verse addresses.
Let us be careful not to worship security and stability to the extent that we won’t allow ourselves to enter messy situations that have no guarantee of outcomes. In reality, the essence of living well is about going deeper in the Word of God, learning to be better guided by the Word, and being convinced that life is not just about I, me and myself – a good job, a satisfying marriage, a self-contained life. It is also about others.
The call to action here is to recommit your life to God, and make it count for Him. Then, you can indeed say ‘That is life! C’est la vie!’
This is a summary and reflection based on a virtual BIR Session held on 14 October 2023.
