James 1 - The Wisdom Of The Brother Of JesusНамуна

Being humble

The ‘humble’ believer mentioned here is one who is economically poor. He should take pride, says James, in his ‘high position’. This refers, of course, to our status as God’s children. The rich Christian, on the other hand, is to contemplate his or her low (literally, ‘humble’) position. 

What low position is James talking about? Well, even the wealthy will pass away ‘like a wild flower’. Despite their aspirations to the contrary, the rich of this world are not lords over creation; they are merely creatures within it.

Put simply, poor Christians are to think of themselves in light of their glorious redemption in Christ and rich Christians are to remember their ‘creatureliness’. The wealth of the wealthy will pass away just as flowers fade in the scorching sun. James will have much, much more to say about all this as the letter unfolds.

Upside down thinking

Much of what the Bible says turns our thinking ‘upside down.’ Jesus told us to ‘love our enemies’ and pray for our persecutors. We are challenged to forgive, to ‘turn the other cheek,’ to be generous and not selfish, to humble ourselves, to love the outcast and seek the good of others. None of this is popular or ever likely to become fashionable.

This ‘upside down’ thinking is very clear in these few verses. The idea of the rich taking pride in their low position, and the poor exalting in a high position, flies in the face of popular wisdom. For the poor and rich today, these ideas must seem preposterous — unless of course, they appreciate God’s creation and redemption. Then it makes perfect sense.

What do we value most?

What do we truly value? What are we passionate about? Where do we place our resources, time and energy? What occupies our daydreams? How we answer these questions reveals a lot about where our heart lies. 

It is easy to be seduced by what the world thinks is valuable. There is great allure in status, wealth and power. Who of us can claim not to be attracted to ‘just that little bit more wealth,’ or the intoxicating nature of success and status? James reminds us that worldly success is illusory and deceptive. He highlights instead the authentic and lasting life that is found in a relationship with God. 

These things are easy to say and hard to live. We all need to pray for the sort of wisdom James urges on us.