Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith? (James 2:5)
Expanded Passage: James 2:5-7
“You’re rich!” she exclaimed as I inspected my new possession. While walking with my grandmother, I had noticed a shiny penny on the sidewalk. Picking it up, I held my prize high with pride, as the sunlight glinted off its surface. As a six-year-old, I believed every word of Grandma’s proclamation. Little did I know, that penny couldn’t even fetch me a gumball.
We often associate riches with tangible possessions. We assume that if we can drive it, fly it, pet it, eat it, wear it, or lock it up in a safe, we qualify as owners of riches. That is certainly true from the world’s perspective, but not from God’s.
To bring this into sharper focus, let’s contrast two types of riches. Who possesses the greater wealth, a rich person with a diversified stock portfolio valued in the millions or the financially poor person who knows Jesus personally? For James, the answer is obvious. Anyone who has faith in God and believes in his provision both in this life and the life to come, enjoys lasting riches that are secure for all eternity.
People who live with vibrant faith have a friendship with God. In this sense, they possess a “richness” in their relationship with him. The greatest poverty of all is to never cultivate that degree of faith and never know God personally.
Choose building faith over building wealth to amass life’s greatest riches.
Jim Miller is a chaplain in the Army National Guard. He and his wife, Renee, live in Washington, DC, and enjoy spending time traveling with their two children.
© 2024 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
