On the surface, it would seem as if James is encouraging believers to take on themselves a perpetual vow of poverty. This conclusion will be misleading, and it will be addressed later on. What is the ground for rejoicing by poor believers? Physical riches is just one of the ways by which God demonstrates His kindness to us. It can be argued that physical riches is among the least of God’s riches extended to mankind. Interestingly, one does not even have to be a believer to access this level of riches. By a dint of hard work and shrewd management, many people have attained to physical riches. The dimension of riches that we can never work for or merit is the one available to poor believers, and they can take solace in them.
“The dimension of riches that we can never work for or merit is the one available to poor believers, and they can take solace in them…They exceed expectations and human explanations. They also exceed what you will ever need.”
The Bible records several of them. You have the riches of God’s mercy (Ephesians 2:4-5); riches of His grace (Ephesians 2:4-7); and riches of His goodness (Romans 2:4). There is also the riches of God’s glory (Romans 9:23), as well as the riches of His wisdom and knowledge (Romans 11:33). Whether you talk of the riches of his mercy, grace, goodness, forbearance and longsuffering, or the riches of his glory, wisdom and knowledge, they are always exceeding. They exceed expectations and human explanations. They also exceed what you will ever need. These capture the true riches of believers, even though they may be at lower end of the economic ladder. Does this mean that believers are never to do anything to better their financial standing? That is not the idea. “Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it.” (I Corinthians 7:21 NKJV). Paul encouraged servants not to be browbeaten with their conditions. However, they were to exploit every opportunity to be free. In the same spirit, James would tell believers not to look subhuman because of their lack; but opportunities for a better life should not be shunned either.
