Listen Up

James 2 cont’d:

Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?

These verses come right after yesterday’s passage, instructing us to not show partiality or favoritism.

Now we’re told to listen further.  God’s kingdom is the complete opposite of the culture in which we live.  

Our culture teaches that the rich are those who have much, look beautiful, and are famous because of it.  But God’s kingdom is full of the rich who have much faith, look like Him, and are humble about it.

Those who are rich by our culture’s standards, yet lack the true riches, are not to be our example of someone to aspire to be like – not at all!  

Riches that come from our own earnings and success tend to produce control in our hearts and actions that surface in looking down on others “less fortunate.”

Very often we see a lack of riches as a sign that we are not “as blessed” as others by God.  And  just the opposite is true. 

Sometimes our greatest blessing is not having enough “stuff” so that we depend on him for true riches, which he gives without restraint…and also more than we need each day of the bread that sustains us.

Don’t dishonor the poor and give praise to the rich.  It’s sin.  Instead, honor each other above your own self, give a seat to the poor, and in doing so…you will obtain great wealth.