Adjust Your Focus

"Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits." - James 1:9-11

The last two sections we have looked at in James have talked of the importance of being steadfast through trials as a Christian. At this point in the letter, James brings up a trial that was emphasized by Jesus and is common amongst many Christians today. Along with Jesus' constant denouncement of the pharisaic way of life, Jesus says in Matthew, "You cannot serve God and money" (6:24). In James 1:9-11, this point rings true once again. After James has introduced the seriousness of the Christian to remain steadfast during times of trial, he finds it appropriate to introduce one of the most common trials a Christian faces: the love of possessions.

"Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation." The word "lowly" can also be translated "meek," "humble," or "depressed." The point James starts out by making in this short statement is that depressed Christians need not be depressed. James is saying that we are exalted in Christ and we need to boast in that fact to others. It is important that the Christian does not delve too deeply into such depression or meekness because these can lead to constant sadness. This is clearly not the life the Christian is called to, especially considering the emphasis James puts on rejoicing during times of trials. He is telling believers who are low and weak to be strengthened by Christ, realize their worth, and remain steadfast in the life God has put before them; this is a call to life from death.

"and the rich [boast] in his humiliation." This statement, just as the last, is also a call from death to life. It is a call from love of the world to love of Christ; a call from pride in the world to pride in Christ. In the last statement, James encouraged the "lowly" to boast in his worth in Christ; in this statement, he calls the "rich" to boast in his "humiliation" or "low estate." In other words, both statements are calls to focus on Christ, the former emphasis is on finding your worth, whereas the latter emphasis is on focusing your worth. Both parts are addressing a Christian who has a twisted self-image; one needs to be brought up, and one needs to be brought down. The Christian today can learn much from such wisdom. Be joyful in Christ, but only Christ.

"because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits." As James finishes his talk of the importance of not focusing on your own worth, nor on your own lacking, but on Christ, he paints a vivid picture of what a man who trusts in his riches is like. James says that the "rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits." Does this scare you? The fact that you can waste your whole life striving for possessions and then within a moment you can pass away? Do you see why we are being called to not focus on that which is temporary, but that which is eternal? What will it matter if we have been successful financially on earth? What worth is it if not a single soul has heard the gospel because of you? Do you understand that your "beauty will perish"? Oh, how lost we are if we trust in the things of today rather than in the things of forever; what a worthless life to live. Do not make such a monumental mistake. There is no greater mistake that can be made apart from a wasted life.

I want to close with this story from John Piper's Don't Waste Your Life. "For me as a boy, one of the most gripping illustrations my fiery father used was the story of a man converted in old age. The church had prayed for this man for decades. He was hard and resistant. But this time, for some reason, he showed up when my father was preaching. At the end of the service, during a hymn, to everyone's amazement he came and took my father's hand. They sat down together on the front pew of the church as the people were dismissed. God opened his heart to the Gospel of Christ, and he was saved from his sins and given eternal life. But that did not stop him from sobbing and saying, as the tears ran down his wrinkled face - and what an impact it made on me to hear my father say this through his own tears - 'I've wasted it! I've wasted it!'" (Piper 12).