James 2:6-7

NIV: But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

The Message: Isn't it the high and mighty who exploit you, who use the courts to rob you blind? Aren't they the ones who scorn the new name—"Christian"—used in your baptisms?

This is a direct message to the church not to follow the money, not to look down on the poor and look up to the rich. After all, in James' day, and in ours too, it is the rich who exploit the poor - you only have to look at the way the west exploits the third world countries to see that, with children working all hours to make clothing, toys, trainers and all sorts. Not only that, it is the rich (who have the money) who will threaten litigation to get their money back from those who can least afford it. Presumably, James was referring to actual cases where believers had been taken to court by the rich because of some dispute yet were still favouring the rich in the community by giving them the best seat, preferential treatment and so on despite how they were treated in return. Of course, it couyld be they were trying to show Christian love, but when it is at the expense of the poor, as it presumably was here, then how can it be love?

In this letter, James is also saying that it is the rich who slander the name of Christ. After all, what need do they have for Jesus when they have all that wealth, the large house, fancy car and so on? Material possessions get in the way of having a real relationship with God, with Jesus, with the Holy Spirit. If you are always watching your stocks and shares increase/decrease in value, you are looking for the next property to buy, keeping an eye on the latest designer clothes, buying the latest make and model of BMW, then how will you have time for God? The things of this world will take up your time and God will be squeezed out.

Of course, the same could be said of the poor too inasmuch as if you are always scrabbling around trying to make ends meet, looking out for the postman to see what bad news he is brining in the post, never having enough money for decent food and clothing, then you are also focusing on the things of this world but in the opposite way from the rich. You are letting your worries and cares take over, letting your eyes and your heart move away from God onto focusing on paying the bills, making ends meet and so on.

We are all guilty of pushing God out of our lives at one time or another for all sorts of different reasons, each one of them appearing to be valid at the time. We all let the things of this world take over, our worries, our cares. But when we do this, aren't we insulting God? Effectively telling him that He can't handle our problems, can't help with our finances, our job worries, health problems, etc? The Lord God Almighty, who created heaven and earth and all that is within it can't sort out the mess we are in, heal our loved ones, resolve our financial problems, provide the discipline for our children, find work for us?

I'm not saying that God is a Mr Fixit who will magically solve all our problems, reverse the moral decline in the country, bring peace to the world, solve the famine situation in Africa and everything else that needs to be sorted. What I am saying is that God can do anything, and for Him, nothing is impossible.

We, I, need to stop focusing on the things of this world, stop giving preferential treatment to some people because of the way they dress, the house they live in, the job they have, and to set our, my sights on Jesus, To remember all that He did for us, for each one of us. Yes, bad things happen. People still get ill and die, some have financial problems, job worries, marital problems, difficult children. There are hurricanes, earthquakes, tidal waves. Even believers have bad things happen to them and sometimes this is like Job, the devil interfering, sometimes it is a time of testing, it could be spiritual warfare, or just life and being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and sometimes it is a direct result of our own actions.

God won't necessarily get us out of the mess we are in (even though He can), but he will give us the grace to endure it, the peace to come to terms with what is happening. He will be by our side every step of the way, catching our tears and putting them in a bottle , holding our hands when things get too much, giving us strength to face another day.

We need to learn to trust God, to put our faith in Him as He will never let us down. He is a God of love and mercy, full of forgiveness, slow to anger, quick to forgive, gracious, kind, ever loving, ever faithful, omnipresent, omniscient, the Father of all, the creator of the Universe and al that is within it, the designer of each and every one of us who has counted the numbers of hairs on our head. He is the Lord God Almighty, God of gods, King of Kings, Jehovah-Jirah, the Good Shepherd, Prince of Peace, Faithful and True, Counsellor, Healer. Don't you know how He can be trusted? How He will never let us down despite the times we let Him down, refuse to obey Him, go our own way, deny Him, insult Him, take His name in vain?

Try talking to God today. Listen for His voice, hear what He has to say to you. Open your eyes, your heart, your mind to God and put Him first instead of the things of this world. Don't be swayed by public opinion, by political correctness, but make a stand and trust in God. Cast all your cares and worries on Jesus, and leave them in His hands. Make today the day when you start to really trust God, to get to know Him. I'm going to do that, put Him first in my life, not second, third, or even further down my to do list. I'm not saying I will always succeed, because being totally honest about this, real life sucks at times and has a habit of interfering with the best laid plans and intentions. But a life without God is worthless and empty, and I don't want a life like that.

So what about you? Are you going to trust in God? Cast all your cares and worries on Him, let Him carry the burden, have a real relationship with Him instead of a panicked prayer or two every once in a while when things get too much? Or are you going to carry on regardless, having fun, leading your life without regard to anyone other than yourself? Kow towing to those whom you think will get you that promotion, that new job, give you preferential treatment? Turning your back on God, rejecting Jesus, ignoring the evidence of God that is all around us?

It’s your choice.