Scripture
Warning to the Rich
1Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. 2Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. 3Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. 4For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
5You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. 6You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you.
For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter.
You have no doubt heard the iconic words that Peter Parker's uncle Ben spoke to him in the Spider-Man movie: "With great power comes great responsibility." These are wise words that we would all do well to remember. When given the power of any form, we are responsible for how we steward it. Jesus said it this way in Luke 12:48, "when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required." Today we will look at what Scripture teaches about how we steward our finances and be challenged to be responsible and thoughtful in how we steward our money.
James warned against misusing money in James 5. He wrote, "Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags" (verses 1-2). He then explained why. He said, "The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven's Armies. You have spent your years on Earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter" (verses 4-5). James explained that some of the people he had written to were completely misusing their finances. They were using their positions of power to take advantage of their workers, cheating them of their pay and keeping everything for themselves. Because of this, God was angry and disappointed. James expressed that they would face the consequences of their actions.
Make no mistake, friends. We are responsible for how we steward our finances. Every dollar is a gift from God. We are responsible for stewarding it well, treating those who work for us fairly, and practicing generosity instead of hoarding. God has been generous toward us and blessed us with more than we deserve. The question is, how will we handle the responsibility we have been given?
Moving Toward Action
Take a few moments to think about how you have been stewarding your finances, regardless of whether you have a lot or a little. What is going well? What needs improvement? Think of one step you can take this week to steward the finances God has given you well, and set out to do it!
Going Deeper
James 5:1-6
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