Most recently James gives warnings to both the wealthy and the needy regarding the proper handling of finances and dealing with others.
In the fifth chapter of James, we are advised to be faithful to two things: giving and the just treatment of people.
In the fifth chapter of James, we are advised to be faithful to two things: giving and the just treatment of people.
The rich are addressed, rather harshly, in James 5:3-4 (NIV): “Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.”
As college students, many of us are unable to relate to this reprimand.
Some are working part-time jobs while taking a full-credit course load, while others are working multiple jobs to make ends meet.
We don’t consider ourselves wealthy by any means.
But, let’s put things into perspective.
How many of us are forced to walk to work (as our only means of transportation are our own feet) and skip lunch to save money, only to take the pay check we’ve waited all week to cash and turn it into the apartment manager to pay just half of the monthly rent so we can avoid eviction?
Moreover, how many of us don’t even receive a paycheck because we are out of work, or we don’t have rent to pay because we are homeless?
Not many.
As college students, many of us are unable to relate to this reprimand.
Some are working part-time jobs while taking a full-credit course load, while others are working multiple jobs to make ends meet.
We don’t consider ourselves wealthy by any means.
But, let’s put things into perspective.
How many of us are forced to walk to work (as our only means of transportation are our own feet) and skip lunch to save money, only to take the pay check we’ve waited all week to cash and turn it into the apartment manager to pay just half of the monthly rent so we can avoid eviction?
Moreover, how many of us don’t even receive a paycheck because we are out of work, or we don’t have rent to pay because we are homeless?
Not many.
Sure, the food in the dining hall is no comparison to the Cheesecake Factory, but at the end of the day our bodies are nourished.
We may not have been able to afford that pair of skinny jeans but our cell phone bills are paid, our DVR continues to record Grey’s Anatomy and we sit comfortably in the warmth of a heated home.
So before we write these verses off as irrelevant to our lives, let’s see what James is telling us.
We may not have been able to afford that pair of skinny jeans but our cell phone bills are paid, our DVR continues to record Grey’s Anatomy and we sit comfortably in the warmth of a heated home.
So before we write these verses off as irrelevant to our lives, let’s see what James is telling us.
We are hoarding our wealth in ways that make no biblical sense.
We are called to be faithful in our giving both to the church and to those less fortunate than us.
While we may be satisfying this command faithfully, chances are that we are doing so minimally.
We tithe exactly 10%. We serve the poor once or twice a year.
We do just enough that we can feel good about our contribution.
As we graduate college and enter the “real world,” we need to make a conscious effort to follow God with a fury that leaves us unsatisfied with complacent faithfulness.
Instead of accumulating the wealth we have been graciously blessed with, we need to use our resources to help our brothers and sisters who are struggling day in and day out.
We are called to be faithful in our giving both to the church and to those less fortunate than us.
While we may be satisfying this command faithfully, chances are that we are doing so minimally.
We tithe exactly 10%. We serve the poor once or twice a year.
We do just enough that we can feel good about our contribution.
As we graduate college and enter the “real world,” we need to make a conscious effort to follow God with a fury that leaves us unsatisfied with complacent faithfulness.
Instead of accumulating the wealth we have been graciously blessed with, we need to use our resources to help our brothers and sisters who are struggling day in and day out.
And to those of us who are struggling at this time, these words are offered in James 5:9 (NIV): “Friends, don’t complain about each other. A far greater complaint could be lodged against you, you know. The Judge is standing just around the corner.”
We are called to be patient and trust in the Lord during hardships and through our perseverance and faith we will become closer to Him.
We are put through difficult times purposely so that we may learn to depend on God.
More importantly, we are to remember that during these trials we are not to be negative or pessimistic.
As soon as we let evil thoughts creep into our minds, our whole attitude changes and we will not be able to serve the Lord as intended.
Rather than speaking poorly about others, we are to help them.
Where one person is facing difficulty, another may excel, and it is important to remember that things aren’t always as they seem on the surface.
What if the time we wasted complaining about another person, we spent praying instead?
Imagine the blessings we'd receive.
We are called to be patient and trust in the Lord during hardships and through our perseverance and faith we will become closer to Him.
We are put through difficult times purposely so that we may learn to depend on God.
More importantly, we are to remember that during these trials we are not to be negative or pessimistic.
As soon as we let evil thoughts creep into our minds, our whole attitude changes and we will not be able to serve the Lord as intended.
Rather than speaking poorly about others, we are to help them.
Where one person is facing difficulty, another may excel, and it is important to remember that things aren’t always as they seem on the surface.
What if the time we wasted complaining about another person, we spent praying instead?
Imagine the blessings we'd receive.
It is most important to realize that even if the advice James is giving us doesn’t apply to our situation at present, we are guaranteed that at any point in our lives we will either be entering a tough season, enduring a tough season, or coming out on the victorious side of a tough season.
We are to take these words and plant them into our hearts, so when the time comes we are prepared biblically to handle any situation.
We are to take these words and plant them into our hearts, so when the time comes we are prepared biblically to handle any situation.
"...need to make a conscious effort to follow God with a fury that leaves us unsatisfied with complacent faithfulness." -- powerful words... what a great post!
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