James 5 (The Message)
1-3 And a final word to you arrogant rich: Take some lessons in lament. You'll need buckets for the tears when the crash comes upon you. Your money is corrupt and your fine clothes stink. Your greedy luxuries are a cancer in your gut, destroying your life from within. You thought you were piling up wealth. What you've piled up is judgment. 4-6All the workers you've exploited and cheated cry out for judgment. The groans of the workers you used and abused are a roar in the ears of the Master Avenger. You've looted the earth and lived it up. But all you'll have to show for it is a fatter than usual corpse. In fact, what you've done is condemn and murder perfectly good persons, who stand there and take it.
Ok, I want to apologize if you are rich. Really, that term is relative. Everyone that has more money than you is probably considered rich in your own mind. I am certainly richer than most people in Garrett or Dekalb County. When you consider unemployment at close to 10% and the statistics about jobs in our county, I am wealthier than most. Not all rich people are arrogant. These verses aren't for you. However, it seems to me that when you compare wealthy vs non-wealthy, I know more arrogant wealthy people. It seems like a disproportionately arrogant group of people.
I would also say our country has more than it's fair share of arrogant rich people. I hope my Garrett friends aren't offended. There aren't to many wealthy people in Garrett. I say that with great affection for the people in my town. I really think my small town in northern Indiana is full of down to earth real people. We don't have a lot of people wearing the finest suits down Randolph Street. I haven't heard of local employers abusing their workers or robbing people blind. That's probably why I love Garrett. I think God prefers it that way too.
Whether it's with CMA or hanging out with my Garrett friends. I love hanging out with middle or "lower" class hard working people. To say their lower class isn't a demeaning comment. It's a fact of economics. I consider these people much "Higher" class than the alternative when it comes to relationships. I say their real because they don't try to impress and they have priorities straight. They are people who would sacrifice their own life for a friend. Sure they'll tell you what they think in a blink of an eye with no restraint. But, again, I prefer that over people who are fake. The old saying "what goes around comes around" is always true when it comes to relationship with God. It really doesn't matter how rich you are. It doesn't matter about your clothing, your income, the car you drive, or the toys you own (including Harley's). When it comes to gaining eternally life we all have the same path. We all have to release everything we are and everything we own to the master who created it all. We have to treat others as we would be treated and we have to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind. If we don't our wealth won't save us. We will be condemned to eternal suffering. Our priorities will need to change from loving what we have to the loving God and placing him first in our life!
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