Viewing the Poor and the Rich from God’s Eye

James 1 : 9 - 11

We’ve previously discussed the danger of being a double-minded or ‘double-souled’ person. But what exactly does ‘double-minded’ or ‘double-souled’ mean? It doesn’t imply that a person should never have doubts, as that would be unrealistic. When we refer to someone as double-minded, we mean that they have conflicting hearts. One part of their heart believes in God, while the other part places trust in something else. On one hand, they seek wisdom from God, but on the other hand, they believe so much in the wisdom of the world.

Today, we want to talk about the implications for those who are double-minded or ‘double-souled.’ We will explore the concept of a person’s dignity or honor from a materialistic perspective. Let’s take a look at James 1:9, which says, ‘Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation.’ The term ’lowly’ can be translated as ‘poor’ or ‘humble.’ This verse describes someone who, in worldly terms, is seen as insignificant or of little value. These individuals are often overlooked or even oppressed due to their lack of power. Based on the world’s evaluation, society tends to honor the rich and famous, while turning their backs on the lowly. However, if we truly understand what it means to live in the kingdom of God, there should be a reversal in our lives. It’s saddening when we claim to be Christians, but there’s no real change in our lives. We can see the reversal of the motive of the kingdom of God in Luke 1:52 “He (God) has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate.” Here, we see that the powerful are humbled, while the humble, poor, and lowly are lifted up. While not all poor people are humble, poverty often leads to humility, as those in need tend to rely on the compassion of others. In contrast, the rich are less likely to depend on others, as they have the means to fulfill their own needs. This lack of dependence can sometimes lead to a lack of humility. That’s why the problem with riches is often tied to pride.

Interestingly, this passage doesn’t say that pride is entirely forbidden. In fact, ‘boasting’ is mentioned (see James 1:9). But what should we take pride in? The lowly are instructed to boast in their exaltation. Why would a lowly person have anything to boast about? To understand this, we can look at Jeremiah 9:23-24:

"… Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord."

These verses clearly said that man can boast or take pride, but the type of boasting God values is different from worldly boasting. The wise should not boast in their wisdom, the strong should not boast in their strength, and the rich should not boast in their wealth. Instead, we are to boast in knowing God, because that is where true value lies. What does it mean to know God? It should not be another form of arrogance. To know God means to understand His attributes: kindness, justice, and righteousness (Jeremiah 9:24). Justice and righteousness, in this context, mean not favoring or siding the rich or any specific group of people. While we may not judge others based solely on their financial status, we may still tend to evaluate people based on worldly standards. There is a debate in the commentary regarding the identity of ’the rich’ in James 1:10. Are they wealthy members of the Jamesian community, or unbelievers outside the church who will ultimately face God’s judgment and humiliation? Some commentators refer to intertestamental Jewish writings (the Book of Sirach), which offers a nuanced view of the rich. It describes them as often proud, selfish, manipulative, and exploitative of the poor or weak. However, the Book of Sirach also suggests that such individuals can be redeemed and encourages them to honor God with their wealth. In the context of the Jamesian community, there appear to be people involved in business (see James 4:13 and onward). Therefore, it seems the ‘rich’ referred to in James are likely wealthy members of the community. By contrast, in Luke’s story, the rich man is an unbeliever, and Luke uses this story to warn the wealthy in his own community. Whether the rich are Christians or unbelievers, the story serves as a rebuke to the attitude of the wealthy.

James reminds the rich that if they continue to boast about their financial success, they will ultimately face humiliation, as this is not the glory of God. This highlights the danger of ‘prosperity or successful theology.’ Success in this theology is often defined by wealth, intelligence, high status, or even ‘success in ministry.’ When we experience abundance, we might be tempted to think it’s a sign of God’s blessing. But what’s the problem with this mindset? Why didn’t Jesus live this way? Jesus preached to a crowd of 5,000 men, but after that, many left, and only 12 stayed with Him. By worldly standards, it would seem that Jesus was unsuccessful in His ministry, right? This doesn’t mean we should glorify failure, but it does show that the glory of a Christian life isn’t tied to worldly definitions of success. If we base Christian glory on ‘successful theology,’ we end up glorifying the same things the world values—and that is dangerous.

Consider the example of a Puritan who served a small congregation. He had the qualifications to minister to a larger group, but God only called him to serve a few. Similarly, we hear of a missionary who, in his lifetime, only saw three people come to faith. From a corporate perspective, this might seem like a failure, but was Jesus’ ministry a failure? When He came to Israel, was that the wrong choice? Wouldn’t it have been more effective if He had been born into the Roman Empire, in the palace, as the son of the emperor? Perhaps the whole world would have repented, but this is not the wisdom of God’s kingdom.

Don’t we often dream of having a church full of prominent people, influential in society? But if that were the case, the church might actually be failing. Why? Because God wants to create a radically new community. A church full of ’top’ people isn’t a new community—it mirrors the world, and there is no reversal happening. Such a church wouldn’t be the salt and light of the world. Look at the community Jesus built: tax collectors, prostitutes, and people whom society marginalized. Jesus wasn’t against wealthy or intelligent people—Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy man, was among His followers. But Joseph’s wealth was never glorified. In the kingdom of God, value is never determined by wealth.

James addresses not only the rich brother but also the poor brother. The poor may be tempted to feel insignificant because they lack power and money, and they may believe that being wealthy would bring them honor. In this way, the poor person, like the rich, can place their value in money. The world glorifies wealth and success, but as the church, we are called to live counter-culturally. Paul exemplified this when, after knowing God, he willingly gave up everything he once considered an advantage. This is the mark of a counter-cultural life: being uninterested in what the world glorifies. This doesn’t mean we should abandon any system of values. In fact, we should have one. For example, we should respect those who not only consider their own needs but also the needs of others. However, the core of the Christian life is being counter cultural in how we view the values of highly successful people. People should not boast in their wealth or achievements but in knowing God. If we are double-minded or double-souled, we might claim to know God, yet still boast in things the world values. But if we are single-minded, our sole boast is in knowing God, and we are no longer interested in what the world glorifies. (G.N.S.)