The Wisdom of Joy In Suffering 3 (James 1:2-18)
Non-divided Trust (1:9-11)
We all know you can’t serve two gods. But that is what the majority of people try to do. Actually, the more gods the better. And that is part of the reason why I think James starts talking about money in this part of his letter. He has just talked about being double-minded, and now he points to the most commonly trusted god: money.
We all know that most of the trials people face feel like they can be solved if one simply has enough money. And, to be fair, money does ease the urgency of a lot of trials. Just consider the ongoing pandemic as I write this. It is impacting the whole world, but it impacts poor people and rich people very differently. If you have a steady income and enough of a nest-egg the pandemic is likely more of an inconvenience than a threat. But people who have lost their job or live hand to mouth are fearing for their livelihoods, and not just due to the threat of disease!
James reminds the poor Christian, looking for wisdom and faith in the midst of a trial, not to see their poverty as the source of their problem. And money is not the solution that will see them through. In eternal perspective, they have all they need. And God is on their side, He has chosen them and will stand by them through it all.
But also, the rich believer is not to allow themselves to become smug in their security. Money is a false hope. It can be gone in a moment. In eternal perspective, they are no different from anyone else. God is with them too, and they need to be wise and faithful in how they live through hard times as well.
Money is certainly not the only god competing for our trust in times of testing. There are countless other deities that we bow the knee to, if we are not on our guard. Family, children, expectations, cultural norms, nationality, tribe. They can all offer us a sense of security or a means to solve our problems when they arise. The question is, will we trust God alone and let Him guide us through our trouble, or will we cast a line to the “shore” of another savior who can help us out of a stormy sea?
The key is to keep things in eternal perspective, as James instructs us to here. When it is hard to weigh competing loyalties and demands, remember that God comes first. Another aspect of Liddell’s fictionalized story in “Chariots of Fire” helps us again. As the Olympic committee and Eric’s own future king tried to appeal to his national pride and duty to get him to run, he stuck to his convictions:
In that moment in the film, another character shows up with a proposition to solve the dilemma. Allow Liddell to run in another race, in his place. In real life this decision was made much earlier. But in the film, the committee members reflect on the events after the decision has been made.
Curtis Vaughan sees another aspect in this portion of James. To him, the challenges of both poverty and wealth are examples of the sorts of trials we face as believers. And believers face more than their share of challenges in this world! “Christians, in addition to sharing the sufferings and sorrows common to all man, must often endure the trials and hardships inflicted upon them because of their relationship to Christ.” He points out that poverty shows us the way that suffering can be a trial. But also, wealth is a good example of tests that can be pleasant and enticing. And that is where we see that trials and temptation often come hand-in-hand…
We all know you can’t serve two gods. But that is what the majority of people try to do. Actually, the more gods the better. And that is part of the reason why I think James starts talking about money in this part of his letter. He has just talked about being double-minded, and now he points to the most commonly trusted god: money.
We all know that most of the trials people face feel like they can be solved if one simply has enough money. And, to be fair, money does ease the urgency of a lot of trials. Just consider the ongoing pandemic as I write this. It is impacting the whole world, but it impacts poor people and rich people very differently. If you have a steady income and enough of a nest-egg the pandemic is likely more of an inconvenience than a threat. But people who have lost their job or live hand to mouth are fearing for their livelihoods, and not just due to the threat of disease!
James reminds the poor Christian, looking for wisdom and faith in the midst of a trial, not to see their poverty as the source of their problem. And money is not the solution that will see them through. In eternal perspective, they have all they need. And God is on their side, He has chosen them and will stand by them through it all.
But also, the rich believer is not to allow themselves to become smug in their security. Money is a false hope. It can be gone in a moment. In eternal perspective, they are no different from anyone else. God is with them too, and they need to be wise and faithful in how they live through hard times as well.
Money is certainly not the only god competing for our trust in times of testing. There are countless other deities that we bow the knee to, if we are not on our guard. Family, children, expectations, cultural norms, nationality, tribe. They can all offer us a sense of security or a means to solve our problems when they arise. The question is, will we trust God alone and let Him guide us through our trouble, or will we cast a line to the “shore” of another savior who can help us out of a stormy sea?
The key is to keep things in eternal perspective, as James instructs us to here. When it is hard to weigh competing loyalties and demands, remember that God comes first. Another aspect of Liddell’s fictionalized story in “Chariots of Fire” helps us again. As the Olympic committee and Eric’s own future king tried to appeal to his national pride and duty to get him to run, he stuck to his convictions:
“God made countries, God makes kings, and the rules by which they govern. And those rules say that the Sabbath is His. And I for one intend to keep it that way.”
In that moment in the film, another character shows up with a proposition to solve the dilemma. Allow Liddell to run in another race, in his place. In real life this decision was made much earlier. But in the film, the committee members reflect on the events after the decision has been made.
“A sticky moment, George.”
“Thank God for Lindsey. I thought the lad had us beaten.”
“He did have us beaten and thank God he did.”
“I don’t quite follow you.”
“The ‘lad,’ as you call him, is a true man of principles and a true athlete. His speed is a mere extension of his life, its force. We sought to sever his running from himself.”
“For his country’s sake, yes.”
“No sake is worth that, least of all a guilty national pride.”
Curtis Vaughan sees another aspect in this portion of James. To him, the challenges of both poverty and wealth are examples of the sorts of trials we face as believers. And believers face more than their share of challenges in this world! “Christians, in addition to sharing the sufferings and sorrows common to all man, must often endure the trials and hardships inflicted upon them because of their relationship to Christ.” He points out that poverty shows us the way that suffering can be a trial. But also, wealth is a good example of tests that can be pleasant and enticing. And that is where we see that trials and temptation often come hand-in-hand…
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