… fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

When I memorized this verse, it used the words “author and perfecter of our faith” and I like that description best. Other translations use words like initiator, pioneer, and champion, and these are good too.

Maybe I like the description “author”, in part, because I am an author. But I think the main reason is that the word “author” describes one who made or created an item. Faith was made for us by God at creation along with everything else. Jesus was there too. Our ability to have faith in anything comes from God. And the Bible says we were made in the image of God and different from all other animals in this way. Part of how we were made like God is the ability to have faith.

So it goes to reason that our faith should be the basis for our relationship with God. All other faith is best understood and built off of the foundation of our faith in God. This faith was made possible in a personal way through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our faith in other people, promises, careers, our health, our freedom, our rights — all of these should be seen through the lens of our faith with God.

When we fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, we understand more and more what he wants us to do here on earth. Jesus' faith was extremely tested, time and again, from multiple angles. He scorned the shame of the cross and persevered through all his persecution.

We can also despise the shame this world tries to heap on us and endure its persecution, because we are not citizens of this world, but of heaven and children of God. “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” (‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬-‭21)

Oh the wonder and glory of a life fixed on him: his righteousness, his truth, his light, and his life-giving love! Looking back over the years, my falls are a direct result of fixing my mind on the things of this world.

Lord Jesus, please help me to fix my eyes on you, the author and perfecter of my faith. You rose victorious over the cross, the shame, the persecution, and the rejection in your life. You can lead me to do the same. I can live a vibrant and positive life in any and every situation because I have you walking with me!