June 19, 2013
There is nothing wrong with wealth itself, but our culture has it ALL wrong. The world tells us we should desire wealth and that wealth will brings us independence and happiness, freedom, power, prestige, status, etc. All things that sound good. But! with wealth also comes a hidden (or not-so-hidden) danger.
The biggest danger that comes from wealth? Independence. When you are self-sufficient it is hard to be God-reliant. The temptation is to believe in and rely on yourself and therefore not rely on God. James 1:9–10 - "Believers who are poor should be proud, because God has made them spiritually rich. Those who are rich should be proud because God has shown them that they are spiritually poor."
Money, power, and control are temporary earthly pleasures. Heaven and hell are eternal realities. James describes someone who relies on and lives their lives seeking wealth as a wildflower in the grass. The sun comes out with its scorching heat and it dries up the flower and its blossoms fall off, the plant withers, and the beauty is gone. The "rich" are busy doing business and trying to accumulate more wealth. They are busy being "in charge" and they don't even recognize that they are being scorched by the Son and that they are in danger of losing it all. They dig their heels in and try all the more thinking, "I will be in charge," but it is to no avail and they wither up and disappear.
God is in charge. He is Lord. We are to understand His sovereignty; submit ourselves to His authority; and place our dependence totally upon Him. Rare is the person who can have abundant wealth and still remain reliant on God.
Next Entry: James 1:1–27 (Continued)
There is nothing wrong with wealth itself, but our culture has it ALL wrong. The world tells us we should desire wealth and that wealth will brings us independence and happiness, freedom, power, prestige, status, etc. All things that sound good. But! with wealth also comes a hidden (or not-so-hidden) danger.
The biggest danger that comes from wealth? Independence. When you are self-sufficient it is hard to be God-reliant. The temptation is to believe in and rely on yourself and therefore not rely on God. James 1:9–10 - "Believers who are poor should be proud, because God has made them spiritually rich. Those who are rich should be proud because God has shown them that they are spiritually poor."
Money, power, and control are temporary earthly pleasures. Heaven and hell are eternal realities. James describes someone who relies on and lives their lives seeking wealth as a wildflower in the grass. The sun comes out with its scorching heat and it dries up the flower and its blossoms fall off, the plant withers, and the beauty is gone. The "rich" are busy doing business and trying to accumulate more wealth. They are busy being "in charge" and they don't even recognize that they are being scorched by the Son and that they are in danger of losing it all. They dig their heels in and try all the more thinking, "I will be in charge," but it is to no avail and they wither up and disappear.
God is in charge. He is Lord. We are to understand His sovereignty; submit ourselves to His authority; and place our dependence totally upon Him. Rare is the person who can have abundant wealth and still remain reliant on God.
Next Entry: James 1:1–27 (Continued)
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