James

It was a blink moment.  I knew within seconds that James was a diamond looking to shine.  You could see it in his eyes, feel it when he spoke, and sense it by just being in the same room.  His story was painful.  He was an older banker that moved from Florida to Arizona for the sake of his wife’s health. They worked in different branches for the same bank.  Everything seems to be looking up.  With time the relationship broke down, her affairs soon started, and everything in his life became a living hell.  Moving back to Florida seemed the only option.
Fast forward six months and James was sitting in my office.  I was the only banker willing to interview James (I suspect it had something to do with his age).  He was struggling to pay the bills, trying to sell some real estate to tie things over.  Life was not looking good.
I knew instantly that James would always be a shining star in my life!  I saw was James could not and others would not.  It was the start of some of the best and worst decisions I would ever make in my life.  The key to it all rested with insight, belief, and subsequent empowerment. 
I listen to God’s words about you and me and I wonder if I am more like James than I realize.  I have broken my relationship with God far more than I care to admit.  I have flirted and gone to bed with Evil more than I realize.  In this state, God sees the totality of who and what I am.  With full knowledge, God leaves a constant reminder.  “You're going to need lots of elbow room for your growing family.  You're going to take over whole nations; you're going to resettle abandoned cities.”  (Isaiah 54.3)
I went on to take advantage of James’ vulnerability.  In a way God has taken care of ours.  In our weakness, God shows us everything.  This includes Divinity’s vulnerability; unending love, Divinity passion; you and I, and Divinity’s purpose, creation.