The work of memory... continues... speaking words as mine... thoughts... turn to meaning...
Listen my dear brothers: Didn't God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that He has promised to those who love Him?
James 2:5
HCSB
James reminds... God chose the poor... to be heirs... only the poor...
Looking at his disciples, he said:
"Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
Luke 6:20
(my emphasis)
...the poor... those without material resources... know that they are destitute... helpless... powerless... from this position... the need for God is clear... their only riches... faith...
But what about you... me...? Wealth... education... material resources... deceive... we believe we are self-sufficient... able... secure... without need... day to day... we don't feel desperately dependent on God... therefore... according to James... we miss out on the kingdom...
Jesus... in His letters to the churches... has a Word for us who seem rich...
"...You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ..."
Revelation 3:17
(my emphasis)
Spiritually speaking... we are all... destitute... helpless... powerless... and spiritually speaking... the state of our spirit is the only thing that matters... the reason James says earlier in his letter...
The brother in humble circumstance 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.
James 1:9-11
Riches distort our vision of reality... the rich should boast when trials come... lives disrupted... we recognize our true condition... destitute... helpless... powerless... here we see... here we receive... the riches of faith... and the kingdom of God...
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ..."
Matthew 5:3
Embrace the reality of being... destitute... helpless... powerless... every moment... of every day...
I said to the Lord, "You are my Lord:
apart from you I have no good thing."
Psalm 16:2
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