James 1:9-11
Any of God’s people who are poor should be glad he thinks so highly of them. But any who are rich should be glad when God makes them humble. Rich people will disappear like wild flowers scorched by the burning heat of the sun. The flowers lose their blossoms, and their beauty is destroyed. This is how the rich will disappear, as they go about their business.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I have a spiral notebook that my mother once gave to my grandmother Polly and said, “Write your experiences.” And Mam-ma Polly did just that! This “journal” details many of the events of her childhood…and her thoughts and feelings along the way.
My grandmother wrote of the first home she and my grandfather shared in 1932…“a three-room house, but that was more room than we needed, for we didn’t have much furniture…and we sure didn’t have any money.” She relates that they had a bed, dresser, and three cane-bottom chairs and two nail kegs. “The kitchen had a little 4-cap stove, a homemade table, and some apple boxes for cabinets. Our love for each other took care of everything we didn’t have.”
In another entry, my grandmother wrote about moving onto the farm of a cousin when my dad was a toddler. My grandfather worked in the fields for this cousin’s wealthy father-in-law, while Mam-ma Polly worked inside doing housekeeping, cooking, sewing, and babysitting for the family. The residence that was rented to my grandparents was hardly more than a shack. It had a couple of rooms and sparse furniture, and Mam-ma wrote of scrubbing and cleaning to make the place livable – and “papering” the walls with old newspapers so it would look clean.
I’ve told you before that I thought my paternal grandparents were rich, because from 1953 forward they lived on a farm where food and fun were abundant. What I didn’t see as a child was how hard they worked to nurture cattle for beef and chickens for eggs and our supper…or how diligently they tended their garden and orchards so that there was always plenty of food in the cellar and freezer – for them and my family of five (and anyone else who joined us at their table for a meal).
Several young couples we know will marry this summer, and I have enjoyed learning of their successful careers…the homes they are purchasing…and even attending bridal showers and seeing the lovely gifts and gadgets they have received, such as espresso machines and wooden cutting boards for charcuterie. My grandparents were married for fifty-three years, and I pray that these couples enjoy long, happy lives together, as well. But I can tell you, this material “wealth” will not be the determining factor!
James is reminding us that when God sent each of us into this world, we arrived on equal footing…naked babies with no outward indication of what lay ahead for us. No one could say with certainty that this baby or that one would grow up in lavish abundance, or abject poverty. But God saw potential in each infant. He knew before we were born what was in store for us…and God already knew how He would use us for His purposes – if we would allow it.
My grandparents were humble servants of God all their lives. They worked hard and acquired a nicer home and all the creature comforts. But they also endured many difficulties along the way. I know of people who experienced material wealth and abundance from their infancy…and their lives have been nothing short of a train wreck. I believe James is reminding us in this passage to focus on God and what He intended for us rather than what man assumes or desires. The Bible is filled with verses that remind us to count our riches in terms of God’s blessings and our humble service to Him rather than possessions and the recognition of the world. May this be our prayer and our purpose. Alleluia!
©2024 Debbie Robus
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