Light and Momentary

I talked to a friend of mine last night. He called and wanted to tell me that his house had burned down. It wasn't a cry for help. It wasn't a plea for pity. Quite the opposite. He was just informing me because he thought that, "I should know." This same guy has married off his oldest two kids (a daughter, then his son) in the last six months. He and his wife, after raising three kids of their own (the youngest is a sophomore in college) decided to adopt two abandoned kids ages 9 and 11 (I think). I think you get the picture. The man has had enough stress in his life for two lifetimes. On top of this, he is an administrator in a Christian school (parents griping, money raising, kids misbehaving, etc.).
He said he was at church recently when the teacher in Bible class was teaching from James. He said the teacher said something to the effect that if you are happy in the midst of trials you are lying. My friend said, he straightened him out. With all of this stuff happening in his life, he has seen the blessings. He told me that friends have come over to the house and are helping them rebuild, spending their own money to help my friend. Over protests, my friend's son said, "Dad, you have to let them serve you." He told me, "that was my line."
"We've been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we're not demoralized; we're not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we've been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn't left our side; we've been thrown down, but we haven't broken. What they did to Jesus , they do to us--trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us--he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus' sake, which makes Jesus' life all the more evident in us. While we're going through the worst, you're getting in on the best! (II Corinthians 4:8-12) Paul calls them "light and momentary troubles." Amen, Paul! And thanks, Bobby, for teaching me what really matters. Thanks for being such an example to all of us. Have a great day! JW