James 1:9–11 — rich, poor, and what to glory in

Through James, part 4 · James 1:9–11

"Let the brother of humble circumstances boast in his exaltation, but let the rich boast in his humiliation because he will pass away like a flower of the field. For the sun rises and, together with the scorching wind, dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance perishes. In the same way, the rich person will wither away while pursuing his activities." (James 1:9–11)

Wisdom in action

James is still talking about trials, just with more specificity. Look at the flow: trials come (vv. 2–4), so ask God for wisdom (vv. 5–8), and here's an example of what that wisdom looks like when it's applied (vv. 9–11). He picks money because money is where most of us find out what we actually trust.

Here's the principle underneath the whole passage: it is not your material resources that take you through the testing of life; it is your spiritual resources. Any trial that weans us off the love of passing things and sets our affections on things above is a blessing in disguise. So the question is, where is your reliance — on your riches, or on the riches Christ gives you?

To the poor believer

The poor man in James's example can't control his financial situation (this passage isn't excusing laziness — it's about circumstances you didn't choose). So he shouldn't be angry at God for being poor. He should glory in the fact that he has an eternal standing far greater than anything he could have on earth. Honestly, he has an advantage: it's easier not to focus on temporary things when you don't have very many of them.

And it's worth asking: where would this man be if he were rich? Would he be saved? Would he have the family he has? Pull one block out of the tower and everything above it shifts. Sometimes what looks like a lack is the very thing that made room for grace.

To the rich believer

The rich man should glory in his "humiliation" — that is, in the truth that he is nothing without Christ. Wealth withers. The sun comes up, the wind blows, the flower falls. If he were to lose his riches, that trial would only turn his eyes toward the things that don't fade. His true riches are in Christ and cannot wither.

So the wisdom for the rich man is to see that without salvation he is truly "lowly," no matter what his accounts say. God put it this way through Jeremiah: "The wise person should not boast in his wisdom; the strong should not boast in his strength; the wealthy should not boast in his wealth. But the one who boasts should boast in this: that he understands and knows me" (Jeremiah 9:23–24). When the seventy came back from their mission excited about power over demons, Jesus told them, "Don't rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven" (Luke 10:20). We glory in our salvation — not in our power, and not in our money.

Whatever state you're in

Paul had learned to be content in any circumstance — "I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot" (Philippians 4:11–13) — and he told Timothy that "godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6). Read all of 1 Timothy 6:6–17 sometime this week. Whatever situation we find ourselves in, we can glory in it, because our standing in Christ doesn't move.

An honest question about the return of Christ

Here's something I've noticed about American Christians, myself included. One of the biggest reasons we fret about the return of Christ is that we have so much to lose. It feels like gambling your whole net worth: in one moment, everything you worked for is gone. And if we're honest, that makes us want Jesus to wait a little longer — until we're in a better financial place, until we're married, until the kids come, until the house. Our eyes and our actions are set on earthly things.

Humor me. If someone came to you with a credible report that Jesus was coming back today, how would you feel? Would you be ready? Would you doubt your salvation? Would you run to tie up loose ends? Or would you be excited — glad to go, glad to meet Him? How is your relationship with Christ? How is your life? Are you ready to give an account for it?

We often fear His coming because we're not living with our affections set on heaven. And James — and every other epistle writer, which means God Himself — tells us this is exactly why trials come: to test our faith and to move our affections from the earthly to the eternal.

The whole idea

Those in humble circumstances can glory in their standing with Christ. Those who are rich can glory in knowing they are nothing without Him. Either way, glory in Christ.

Go back to that question for a second. Jesus is coming back today. How do you feel? If the honest answer is dread, and you've never trusted Him, that dread is telling you something true about where you stand. Here's what's underneath it, though: the account you'd have to give has already been settled. He took your sin to a cross, He died there in your place, and He walked out of the tomb alive. Call on Him and the day you're afraid of turns into the day you've been waiting on.

For those who are already His — do something inconvenient with money this week. Give an amount you actually feel. Not because God is short on funds. Because your affections follow your treasure, and this is how you move them off the grass and the flower and onto Christ. Thin bank account or thick one, same assignment. Glory in Him either way.

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Through James: ← Part 3 · Part 4 · Part 5 →