Good Tuesday morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
I wonder what the socio-economic spread looks like in the city where you live…wherever you live in our big world? How do the really wealthy folks live in your city, and how big is the homeless population in your city? Is there what some might call a ‘slum section’ of your city and are there gated mansions with long driveways, high walls and security systems, in your city? The truth is, my friends, from the earliest records of ancient civilizations we have always had the very wealthy and the very poor, and everyone in between, living among us.
You perhaps know the Bible speaks often to this economic disparity. Money or wealth gained by any means is important in every society, but HOW the wealthy gained their wealth, HOW it affects their attitudes and behavior, and HOW they use their wealth is significant, isn’t it? Similarly WHY the poor are in poverty, HOW it affects their attitudes and behavior, and HOW they use their poverty is significant isn’t it? We’re walking these days with James, the 1/2 brother of Jesus, who wrote a little letter which bears his name and is found near the back of the Bible. In his chapter 5 James addresses this issue with strong language, for in the first century there was a powerful wealthy class of people, many of whom had gained their wealth through dishonesty and corruption, and some used their wealth and power to abuse people, especially the disadvantaged.
Let’s sit among those in any city of the Roman Empire who are hearing James’ letter read publicly for the first time. Can you imagine? “Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth will rot and moths will eat your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroding… You have hoarded wealth. Look, the wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord God Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the days of feasting. You have condemned and murdered innocent people who were not opposing you.” (James 5:1-6) As you look around the group of people listening, probably you see folks from every economic strata, and they are receiving these words in direct response to their personal story. Those who have cheated and taken advantage of others want to hide. Those who have been taken advantage of want to celebrate.
You’ll notice James was not specific as to what God was planning to do with the information He has, for of course God has seen and heard it all. James didn’t have to be specific, for in every person God has placed a conscience of some fairness and justice, right and wrong. Oh it may be distorted by family heritage or great injustice done to them or social dysfunction. Personal conscience is certainly distorted by sin, but James was doing something very strategic here. Like a farmer hand sewing the seed with each toss of his hand, James was dispersing truth to a widely diverse audience… and then the Holy Spirit had the privilege of applying that truth personally, privately, powerfully into individual hearts. This happens in our day too, doesn’t it? Truth is dispersed and the Holy Spirit of God does His miraculous, marvelous work of application. Sometimes it’s conviction, sometimes encouragement, sometimes guidance to specific action.
So I invite you to join me in considering what James said in those few verses and applying it to your financial journey in your life, your financial philosophy in life, your financial legacy. I wonder what you see? As I’m writing this today a big thunderstorm is pouring down precious, pure water from heaven all around my house. I love such storms… it reminds me that God provides EVERY drop of water we need… and so much more!
Next I invite you to consider these words the apostle Paul wrote to his young disciple friend Timothy: “Godliness with contentment is a treasure. For we brought nothing into this world and we can take nothing out of it. If we have food and clothing, we should be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered away from the faith and have pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and patience.” (1 Timothy 6:6-11) I wonder what you think about these powerful words of wisdom? Have you found them to be true in your life? Was there a time when your priorities and passions were pursuing financial wealth to the point… you were willing to pay any price, including sacrificing relationships and even your own reputation? What important life lessons have you learned about these things?
Finally may I give you one other very wise perspective on this matter… it comes from Jesus. Oh Jesus spoke often about this matter of money, but listen to His word recorded in Luke 12:15 “Jesus said to the people, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And then Jesus went on to tell one of His famous parable stories about a man who had brought in a bumper harvest one year, and desiring an even bigger harvest the next year he planned to tear down his barns and build bigger ones. Jesus said that the man anticipated a day he’d be able to say to himself “I have plenty of good things laid up for many years. I’ll take life easy, eat, drink and be merry.”
Does that sound like some of the talk you hear in your city? Are there many people where you live who base their self-esteem, their value, their significance on the amount of possessions they have accumulated or their perceived financial wealth? Listen to what Jesus said about this man: “But God said to the man, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ (Luke 12:13-34) Then Jesus went on to challenge the people, with whom He was speaking that day, to consider how God cares for the birds of the air and even the plants of the field. He supplies what HE knows they need!
Now think about this my friends. Do you believe God KNOWS what you need in life? Do you believe God has more than enough resources to SUPPLY you with what He knows you need in life? And what about this: Does God know what you WANT in life and what you are pursuing to achieve or attain or accumulate? Can God see how all that you WANT might affect your life IF you actually gained it all? Now are you ready for this question? Do you and I trust God enough, that we learn to be content with what HE provides as His supply for each of us?
Here’s one more piece of wisdom Jesus gave about this important topic. He said it to a large crowd of people in one of His first public gatherings. It’s sometimes called His ‘sermon on the mount’ and found in Matthew chapter 6. Listen: “Your Father [in heaven] knows what you need before you ask Him… Do not store up for yourselves treasure 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 thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also… No one can serve two masters….You cannot serve both God and Money [at the same time]…” (Matt. 6:8,19-34)
My friends, have you learned the secret to this matter of proper perspective on financial resources as a follower of Jesus Christ? It’s really quite simple. It’s ALL God’s! Every breath you and I breathe, is God’s that He gives us as a gift, to be used for HIS glory. Every moment of time we live is a gift God gives to us, to be used for HIS glory. Every ounce of strength or intellectual capability is a gift from God to us, to be used for HIS glory. Therefore every penny which passes through our hands is God’s that He entrusts to us…can you say it with me? To be used for HIS glory!
There’s the secret whether you live in poverty or are a multi-millionaire!! It’s all God’s which He entrusts to us… one breath at a time, one day at a time, one idea at a time, one penny at a time… all to be used for God’s glory! As long as HE is the greatest treasure of our lives…everything else will be in balance because where your treasure is that’s where your heart will be, and we all live following our hearts, don’t we? So…what is your heart pursuing these days?
Yes I’ve found a great song for our reflection my friends and I urge you to do two things… first pray for a moment, asking God to speak a fresh word to you about this matter as HE knows it applies uniquely to YOU, and then worship with this song and ask yourself… honestly now, does this song reflect my heart, today?
Today’s Scripture is James 5:1-6.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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