We're all just Grass in God's Breath

James 1:9-11 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they 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 will fade away even while they go about their business.

Our mortality is something that is to remind us here, that even the believers in humble circumstances "will pass like a wild flower." While I dislike to say this myself, because I do not like to overgeneralize people but people of poverty or the "poor" will come to easier terms of leaving everything behind than the "rich". Thus they should take "pride in their high position" for they can accept God for where they are at in any earthy circumstances they are in.

"Rich" people are not to be treated like they are beyond any possible salvation because they might have a harder time realizing leave our possessions behind, which is why I think we fashion verses like Matthew 19:24, to put us apart from them that we could go to a "different heaven" than them. We think of the billionaires or millionaires, or those with a little more money than us. This view is horrible since the image of poor in America has turned to "we live paycheck to paycheck sliding by" and not "Do I get to eat today?"

The question I think lots of Christians are to ask themselves with verses like these is not quickly associate with the "good" one but see yourself as the one open for correction and improving upon faith. This makes me feel like I don't do enough, my financial security that I have might seems unstable at times, but what is a greater way to be humble in my own situation? SACRIFICE! James talks about taking pride in our humiliation, a rich man that gives away his "riches" of the world would be a significant change, anyone would have to agree to that. Its hard for any of us to just give something away, whether its money or help. The biggest changes of our lives are the biggest times to mature in Christ and serving others. When someone comes to this verse thinking themselves as the "rich" that could become "poorer" with Christ I think its a more humbling experience than claiming, "Yeah, I am poor so I'll have to ignore the rest of the verse"

Isiah 40:6-8
A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.

The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.

The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God stands forever.”


James mirrors Isiah closely here so I felt it ideal to also post Isiah. One thing I have to say is I have troubles talking about verses pertaining to money, and such so I am totally looking for help upon any of these verses as I go through James. I do have a book with a commentary over this which Pastor Nate borrowed to me and might update it even with notes from it.

Plugging in a Cool site to visit, www.facelessinternational.com, aims to fight some of the social injustices in the world. Giving you both small and huge things to thing about, and how some small change today would equal the big change tomorrow.