This is the ninth of 13 sessions looking at selected passages from the Book of James. Click here to read the introduction and for an overview.
Click here to see the eigth session.
Session 9
What does it really mean to “have it all”? Some might answer that it involves a house on a level lot, a car in the driveway and perhaps a boat in the garage. Success, especially in today’s world, is often equated with monetary gain.
We think of money as good, lack as bad. Then we’re blindsided by an unusual verse in the Book of James. Rich people are told to “weep and wail” because of the misery that is coming upon them. What kind of “misery” could financial wherewithall possibly bring?
At this point, it would be easy enough to tread the familiar path that money is not evil in itself; it’s the love of money that is evil. That’s backed up by
Whether it’s actively being spent or simply socked away, money can indeed bring challenges. Either can end up being “too much,” as in too much to worry about handling or too many items that end up encumbering us. The more we “have,” the harder we are to move. The more things to which we are attached, the stronger our tethers can be.
This is by no means a give-away-all-you-have message, but it is a seed to nurture thoughtfully. When we’re young and without the responsibilities that things can bring, we easily can pick up and go. As we accumulate stuff along the way, it becomes harder and harder to keep looking ahead when we still need to be looking around at all we’re carrying with us.
We may dream of big houses and fancy cars, but we need to ask what will be required to maintain these items? What will our added responsibilities be once we have them? Perhaps the misery ahead could involve tough decisions when God says “go” and we find we’re not as mobile as we should be in order to answer His calling.
Money never was meant to be more than a tool in our lives, a way that God can accomplish His works on this earth. Money never was meant to be a problem-solver on its own. We must be wary of phrases such as “If only I had money, I would…” Any time money is the deciding factor, a potential recipe for misery exists.
What the Word Says:
“Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you” (
How It Applies:
Money can be a great tool in a wise hand, but it can also be a cause for misery. Big ships turn slowly; the more we accumulate along the way, the harder it becomes for us to “go” as God leads.
Questions for Group Discussion:
• What does our culture teach us about money? How is that different than what the Bible teaches?
• Money is a constant theme in the gospels. Why do you think that is?
• Do you find yourself saying, “If only I had money I would…?” What are the barriers from doing it anyway?
• Research has shown that lottery winners more later usually wish they’d never received the money. Why do you think that might be?
• What do you think it means to have a healthy attitude toward money and wealth?
