James 5:1-5 – 1 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.
There are some verses that speak about how men will be in the last days. James here in his last chapter speaks on how men will be rich. They will be self indulgent and greedy. Look around. Do you see that right now? I sure do. In fact for the last 30 years books have been written on how to become this very type of person. These books dare you to be rich, control your own destiny, make it happen yourself, wealth beyond your imagination, and all other kinds of success manuals. Almost all have to do with wealth, although many are trying to teach a new age message of positive thinking.
It’s normal to like nice things. It’s normal to want nice things. Like in all sin, man always takes it to the extreme. Greed.
Greed is a sickness that is the love of money. God doesn’t want you to love money. God wants you to love Him. The New Testament is full of this warning.
When we get to Heaven, God wants us to live in a paradise. He is going to provide a paradise for those He loves and that have sought Him. He doesn’t want us to live in trash piles, but he would rather see us help others out rather than seeing one person live in a castle and others living in a cardboard box. It’s our choice on how we go about this. It is this very thing I speak of that fits up in the James 5 verses.
Would you rather stand in front of God after owning 5 homes at once, all a half a million dollars or more apiece, along with many other worldly possessions? Or would you rather stand in front of Him after living in a modest home and have given the rest of your wealth to missionaries, starving people, with no water, and supply the gospel to others?
Eternity is a long time compared to about 50 years of selfish living on ourselves. The second scenario also reveals a lot more trust and faith into our King, which He also enjoys.
God Bless each one us and may we also do our best to put God first. Today is a new day.