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The book of James in the New Testament answers the question, "How can I be mature in Christ?" It is a book filled with application on how to grow in Christ. It is the type of book that fills you with practical wisdom on how to live. This week we are going to look at the passage that I have entitled, "How to Weigh Your Life?"

Let's look at the timeless words of James 1:9-11...

The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.

Here in the passage we read that we have to weigh our lives accurately so that we can better understand who we truly are in Christ so that we do not fall into the trap of viewing our lives through our bank accounts. Here we sort of have a play on words in the above verses.

He basically says that the poor should take pride in their high position and the rich should take pride in their low position. This verse reminds me of Southampton Glebe School playground when we used to rush outside to see who the first person would be on the 'see-saw'. In order to provide the balance and force needed to push up and to come back down, you needed two people on either end. The purpose of this passage is to provide a similar balance in our thinking about who we truly are. One without the other would result in what would happen if the person on the other end wanted to be cruel and jump off of the 'see-saw' while you are held up in the air, so you come plummeting down. Hopefully your reflexes would be quick enough to put your legs out in time to prevent getting injured. Like that old childhood pastime, these verses bring about the balance needed to benefit from the truth of the Word of God.

He starts off by saying, the brother who is poor in the standards of the world, should take pride in his high position. The high position is the standing one has in Christ and not how much you have in your bank account. Why is this so important? Because in the first century, just like today, people obtain their self-worth and value by how much money they have. James brings about how shallow this really is in reality. In fact, the one who is poor has a better opportunity to understand his position in Christ more than the one who is financially rich. James asks the rhetorical question in James 2:5b...

"...Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?"

As a result no teacher of the Bible can proclaim that God wants every single Christian on planet earth to be financially rich. Contrary to the Slumdog Millionaire break that people are looking for, the Bible teaches that God has chosen those that are financially poor to be rich in faith.

This is the point of these verses as well. Those that are poor in the world's eyes are rich in God's eyes. They do not have the distraction of riches and the constant pride that financially rich people have to deal with; they realize they only have Jesus. I have travelled to countries such as Cambodia, Zambia, and Haiti (some of the poorest countries of the world); in fact 80 per cent of Haiti's population is in dire poverty. I have had the privilege of worshipping with adults and children who were praising God with all their hearts because of the meals that God has provided for them in a ministry there called Caribbean Grace Tabernacle. I want to tell you with all my heart that they enjoy a level of Christianity that many of us are yet to discover. Maybe this is why Jesus warned so many times about the distraction and deception of riches!

James says to the poor have pride in your high position spiritually, but now notice the contrast here; James says to the rich, take pride in your low position in regard to your humanity because you will pass away like a wild flower. Like a dandelion almost here today and then gone tomorrow is how you will pass away, leaving your riches to someone else even while you go about your business. Keep in mind that wealth and one's life is for a season. You cannot take anything with you, all will pass away.

We will never find a truck behind a funeral procession or a vault attached to a grave. God has already told us that we bring nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it. Therefore, use the appropriate spiritual scales to weigh your life. Are you rich? Praise God that you have a poor standing in your fragile humanity; Are you poor? Praise God that you have a rich standing in Christ.

Pastor Gary C. Simons serves as the Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Bible Fellowship, 82 Church Street, Hamilton, Bermuda, HM12.

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