Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you. Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days. Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous one, who does not resist you.
Whew. Take a moment before you continue and go back to these verses. Read them again slowly.
I wonder if James has Jesus' words in his mind as he wrote this warning.
Jesus said:
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
(Matthew 6: 19 - 21)
What is God saying to you through these words from James? Where must you apply them to your own life? The power afforded by wealth in this world does not need any explanation. We are well acquainted with it. We watch it in our political system. We read of astronomical abuses that occur by those who wield the greatest wealth. Let's leave those folks aside for a moment and focus on ourselves ... probably none of us are on the Forbes list! Yet ... we have food to spare, a home to live in, a computer with Internet access to be reading this piece, a car (or two) to drive, so many clothes that decisions have to be made each morning, etc. etc. etc. My purpose is not to ply you with guilt. My purpose is to cause us to realize that we can fall into this category of "rich". We cannot blow past these warnings from James as if they apply to the Warren Buffets and Donald Trumps of our world.
So, for you and I, what are the perils of having more than the necessities - of having enough plus?
Peril # 1 - when we have much, we tend to trust it. Our "bend" is to think that we are somehow entitled to it. God gets forgotten, left out of the equation, not needed (until a crisis hits). When we trust more in our possessions and wealth, our bank accounts and status, than we do in God - it is indeed time to weep and wail! There is NOTHING permanent about worldly wealth. It is NOT eternal.
Peril #2 - when we have much, we tend to forget our brothers and sisters. Keeping our own "stuff" becomes more important than sharing with those in need. We can begin to rationalize and excuse our selfishness. We cross the line between wise saving and selfish hoarding. I so wish I knew exactly where that line was! James has told us that if we lack wisdom, ask God for it ... I think this is a perfect example of where we need God's wisdom. Scripture is quite clear about God's position on helping those marginalized by society. James even describes what happens when the rich don't even pay wages to their laborers. David Nystrom says: "James condemns an attitude toward wealth that deadens the wealthy towards others and causes them to live in excess even as their brothers and sisters are in need."
As we think about these things, we need to also remember that much good has been done by believers using their wealth for the good of others and the good of society. My mind goes to the humanitarian groups who are, even today, around the world helping out in the most desperate of circumstances. I think about the hospitals and clinics that have been built because believers with wealth decided to use those resources for the good of mankind. But those folks are not the ones that James wants to warn. It is those who trust and hoard their wealth.
There is an interesting and sobering description of Sodom found in Ezekiel 16: 49. "This was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty, and did abominable things before me; therefore I removed them when I saw it."
Peril #3 - when we have much, we forget the purpose of life as a believer this side of heaven. We focus more on our own luxury and pleasure and comfort than on real discipleship. I'm not sure God is so concerned about our comfort ... I know he is concerned about our transformation into the image of His Son.
So how do we guard our hearts? What are some practical things we can do to avoid these perils? I so wish we were sitting in a room and could help each other with practical things. How do you do it? How do you protect yourself and your family from the dangers of being "rich"?
- Hoarding occurs when things are held without any use or any expectation to use. Check out your closets and drawers. Any hoarding going on? I have just done a run through my closet after studying these words! Some things needed to be thrown away. Some things needed to be washed and donated for others to use. Remember to donate things that you would use, not things that need to be thrown away! There are wonderful resale shops and donation centers that are always processing gently used items.
- Practice thanksgiving on a morning-by-morning basis. Don't begin the day without thanking God for the possessions you are allowed to enjoy this day. They are a gift. Use them well. Tell God that you want to trust Him alone. Ask Him to help you know what that means.
- When you shop for something new ... clothes, shoes, etc ... give something away.
- Look for opportunities to help those in need. It can be done through organizations, through your church programs, through community service projects, or personal awareness. When God prompts you to help someone, don't rationalize it away. Set up a plan to do something weekly ...
Other ideas? Let's take it to prayer ...
Lord, we know that we are among those with plenty. We know it is only because of your generosity to us and we have done nothing to "deserve" it. We know all things are a gift from You. Help us, Lord, deal with our own trust and desire issues. May we see those you place in our path that need our touch. May we grow to be a generous people ... may I grow to reflect the heart of my Lord. May we store up treasure in You.
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