Poor in the World; Rich in Faith
Has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to those who love him? (James 2:5)
Read: James 2:1-17; Prov. 22:22; Deut. 7:6-8; Ps. 4:8; I Cor. 1:26-29
What Is God Saying?
Faith and works belong together as the root belongs to the fruit. We are grateful to James for helping us to keep the balance. Concerning Abraham whose faith was reckoned to him as righteousness (2:23) he also says, ‘Faith was active along with works and faith was completed by works’ (2:22). Another analogy is given at the end of this chapter- ‘For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead’ (2:26). James does not take away the all-essential quality of faith as the sole source of salvati0n. He simply says that faith when it does not result in works is not real in the first place. It's dead. One of the areas in which faith should be evidenced by works has to do with showing favoritism to the rich and neglect to the poor. Faith shows its good works by being impartial to everyone. That is why James writes at the opening of the chapter, ‘Show no partiality as you hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory’ (2: 1 ). To show partiality is to sin (2:9).
How Does This Apply To Us?
While the purpose of James is to show the sinfulness of partiality, our key verse has a penetrating message that can be applied to every Christian, rich or poor. To be poor in the world is not to be deprived of the riches that count. To be rich in the world does not necessarily mean to be poor in faith. It is only harder to be rich in things and rich in faith. All are heirs of the promised kingdom, not to those who are poor or to those who are rich, but to those who love God. Thank God the promised kingdom does not depend on our status in the world or the accounts we have in the bank. It does depend on the reality or the nature of our faith. But we need to guard against the deceitfulness of riches- ‘The cares of the world and the delight in riches choke the word and it proves unfruitful’ (Mt. 13:22). Let us all decide (if we must) rather be poor in the world and rich in faith than to be rich in the world and poor in faith.
Pray With Me
Thank You, Lord, for discovering that to be chosen by You is to be rich because of You. I have been blessed more than most in the riches of the world, but when and if the choice must come, I would rather be poor in the world and rich in faith than be rich in the world and poor in faith. I will not fear the loss of position nor chafe when my prestige is imperiled. As Yours is the kingdom so mine is the kingdom. It is a gift of Your love to me and a sure reward of my love to You.
I thank You, Lord, for the strength of those words chosen and promised. Here are the facts that the best bliss of earth cannot dim nor the strongest whispers of doubt erase. ‘Chosen ... to be ... heirs of the kingdom which You have promised.’ I am chosen and the kingdom is promised. As surely as the kingdom is promised, just as surely am I chosen. The same wonderful, omnipotent God has done both.
For my part, Lord, let there be a willingness to be poor in the world. Nothing will displace my love for You. When I seek the riches of this world, I am weighted down with its care. When I seek its honors and praises, my hope is set on something less than the glory that God gives and shares. When I crave its securities and its comforts, I am trusting in something less than Your inexhaustible riches in Christ. When I am surfeited with its pleasures, my love for You grows weak and faith seems to be a useless relic.
Refresh my heart with the boldness of Your promises. Let no temptation remove my zest for the kingdom. Let me see how surely the riches of this world pass away. Let me see how eternally Your kingdom of love and peace survives. I have been chosen for what You have promised. I choose to love You for all You have done, for all that You are, and for all that will be mine as an heir of Your kingdom.
In the name of Him through whose poverty I am rich. Amen.
Moving On In The Life of Prayer
We must keep in mind that we are heirs of the kingdom God has promised to those who love Him. In prayer, our renewal of love toward God should be constantly in our thoughts. On the human level, those who are in love cannot say it too much. Toward our Father and Jesus, our loving Shepherd, we can certainly not say it too often, not if we mean it. Our minds should turn often to all the promises of God. But more often than any other, let us rejoice that we are heirs of the kingdom. The riches of this world all pass away. The riches of the kingdom last forever and should be the greatest reason for our continuing thanksgiving and rejoicing in the life of prayer.
