The rich will fade away ...

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Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements. James 1:9-11 NLT

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Isn't it interesting how James writes about the lack of connection between the blessing of God and wealth. I am not sure that many believers in the Western World have taken his words to heart. So many times we speak about how God has blessed us with this house or with that car. It is like we do not understand the nature of true blessings. In contrast the apostle speaks to us of how divine honor rests in the lives of the poor and humiliation in the lives of the rich.

This reminds me that Jesus told his disciples that they should store up treasure in heaven because what they valued would indicate where their heart was at. When we focus on, and value, temporal things we testify that our heart is here on earth with our things. Yet when we our heart is enraptured by heavenly things we find ourselves rich in God even though we are poor by the world's standards. These words help me to remember that this life will one day fade away.

Help us to value what you value Lord and call blessed what you call blessed.

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