By: Doug Beyer, Atherton Resident since 2011
Scripture:(James 2:6-7)
But you dishonor the poor! Who are the ones who oppress you and drag you before the judges? The rich! They are the ones who speak evil of that good name which has been given to you.
Questions for reflection and application:
- Who do I know who is rich in money but poor in faith?
- Do I need an adjustment of my attitudes about wealth and material possessions?
Thought for today:
Being poor is a problem but being rich isn’t the answer. James reminds his readers that the rich people they were honoring were the kind of people who dishonored them. Those early Christians had turned honor upside down. They dishonored the poor whom God had honored and honored the rich whom God had not.
The Bible is pretty clear that “God is no respecter of persons.” He doesn’t place values on people because of what they can do, what they possess, where they have been, or who their parents are. We do not need to feel inferior to those who value wealth above faith. Someone has said that “the ground is level at the cross”. This is a radical message that cuts against so much of what we have come to assume in our culture. As we witness the wealth and ostentation in our everyday world, it can be easy to let the wrong ideas creep into our thinking. We can begin to fill with personal pride if we happen to be on the wealthy end of the equation; or we can feel discouraged if we lose in the comparison game.
Look for ways today of honoring everyone you meet, regardless of their status in the world. By what you do and say show them God’s love.
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