“Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?”
~ James 2:5
Hi James and Ellen,
What is being poor mean to you? Does being poor mean to you not having money? Does being poor mean to you not having food to eat or clothes to wear? Does being poor mean to you not having a place to live? Does being poor mean to you not having friends? The meaning of poor in your societal context means that your dad and ma are not earning enough money during a fiscal year that will put them into an income bracket that has been arbitrarily set by the government as being in the middle or upper class. You may be thought of as being poor if your dad and ma are not earning enough money to enjoy the kinds of amenities that your neighbors are enjoying. You may be thought of as being poor if your dad and ma are not earning enough money to have a larger house or as many cars or . . . as your neighbors have. You may be thought of as being poor if your dad and ma are not earning enough money to go on cruises or take vacations or . . . being poor is perceived as being a negative in the United States cultural. Being poor is a way of life for the majority of guys, gals and kids who are living in underdeveloped or emerging countries. Your grandpaa at times has recommended to a guy or gal – who has a real concern for guys, gals and kids who are living in poverty, a book that was written by Howard Snyder called The Problem with Wineskins. There is a chapter in The Problem with Wineskins that your grandpaa considers to be definitive regarding the role that God created for poor guys, gals and kids to live while they are living on planet Earth. This chapter in The Problem with Wineskins compliments what James wrote in what is now James 2. Verse 5 says, “Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” James at this time reprimands guys and gals who have recently become Christ-followers who are showing a favoritism towards rich dudes versus accepting every Christ-follower guy, gal and kid as being on the same playing field no matter how wealthy or how poor the guy, gal or kid might be. James at this time rebukes guys and gals who have recently become Christ-followers who are showing a partiality towards guys who are wearing a gold rings and fine clothes by giving them special attention and who are showing a distain for guys who are wearing shabby clothes by making them sit on the floor. James at this time reproves guys and gals who have recently become Christ-followers for letting rich dudes exploit their minds with evil, judgmental thoughts versus intentionally and unconditionally showing mercy – which always triumphs over judgment, to the guys, gals and kids who are poor.
James also does some personal ranting in this chapter in his James Book on the subject of good works. It was James’ treatise – and your grandpaa’s belief, too, that God has hardwired every guy, gal and kid to do good works. James never says that good works drives faith; James’ premise is that if a guy, gal or kid has received the faith gift from God, that the result of this God-given faith gift will be to do good works. If good works are not witnessed in the life of a professing Christ-follower guy, gal or kid, James questions – and your grandpaa wonders, too, that just maybe God – as God the Spirit, has still not led the guy, gal or kid to and then through the faith/grace door into the ever growing family and the kindred fellowship of Christ-follower guys, gals and kids. James pointedly conjectures how a professed Christ-follower guy or gal would not want to find a place for a guy, gal or kid to stay who does not have a place to stay to keep warm or to give food to a guy, gal or kid who has had nothing to eat for several days. It was James’ contention – and your grandpaa’s opinion, that the faith of a Christ-follower guy or gal will be supported by doing good works. Good works though is never to be considered a catalyst for God – as God the Spirit, to lead a guy, gal or kid to and through the faith/grace door – where he or she will receive the faith gift; good works is only evidentiary proof of a guy, gal or kid having already been given the faith gift from God.
God – as God the Spirit, compels Christ-follower guys and gals to come alongside guys, gals and kids who are poor through an inherent, innate desire to do so. God – as God the Spirit, compels Christ-follower guys and gals to do good works through an intrinsic, inborn desire to do so. Your grandmaa and grandpaa lived in a couple of rooms on the South America Mission mission base property in Santa Cruz, Bolivia while your grandmaa administrated the base. When a guy or gal showed up at the South America Mission mission base locked gate to ask for money help for whatever – which may have been at times to support an alcohol dependence, your grandmaa would give the guy or gal some leftover food. After your grandmaa and grandpaa helped to start the Pari Christ-follower fellowship of guys, gals and kids, your grandmaa and grandpaa would give a money gift to or for a guy or gal who was sick or who had another obvious need before being asked for money versus waiting for the guy or gal to ask your grandmaa and/or grandpaa for financial help. When your grandmaa and grandpaa instigated the rural resident Bible education and leadership training program in Concepción, Ñuflo de Chavez in Bolivia and when Héctor Pivaral and your grandpaa implemented the Bible education program in Guatemala, your grandpaa would tell the students who were in the Centro de Capacitación (Center of Learning) in Bolivia and who were in the Programa de Educación Bíblica (Bible Education Program) in Guatemala that they were gifts to your grandmaa and grandpaa. It was a blessing to your grandmaa and grandpaa to cover all the students’ costs so that the students could be enabled in Bible truths.
James 2 (832)