BRUCE C WEARNE continues his examination of James…
Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. – James 1:9-11/transliteration by Bruce C Wearne.
“Like a flower of the grass he will pass away”. PICTURE: Christian Widell/Unsplash
IN A NUTSHELL
James recalls that the word of the Lord abides for ever; we are privileged to behold the wealth and bounty of His work in His creation.
This letter challenges us to keep what the Gospels teach fresh in our everyday thinking. Recall how Jesus taught His disciples to take a really good look at the birds of the air and the flowers of the field. When they did that they would recall the teaching of John the Baptist, who signalled a mighty renewal in the appreciation of the Messianic promises of the prophets.
John’s comfort was drawn from Isaiah: “The grass withers, the flower fades, as the breath of the Lord blows on it; and yes the people are but grass. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand for ever” (Isaiah 40:7-8).
For us, thanks to Luke’s collection of stories and songs, we can also recall a line from the poetry of the mother of Jesus: “He has brought down the mighty from their thrones; and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, the rich he has sent away empty” (Luke 1:52-53).
Mary’s prophetic poem “updated” that of Hannah, the mother of Samuel (I Samuel 2). Here now was another song for the people of the Lord to sound forth their joy. James is obviously reminding his readers of their rich literary heritage that proclaims the goodness of the Lord in verse and song, in prophetic allusion and poetic challenge.
And is there not also an allusion to the suffering of the wealthy and successful Job (5:11) when James calls upon the rich man to exalt in being brought low? Why should he, the rich man, do that? It is simply because the Lord has done it – He has been bountiful to this steward according to His own counsel. That is the way He works – He grants the rich man great riches and then He takes it away: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and in nakedness shall I return. The Lord has given and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the Name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).
The ongoing assumption is that the people of the Messiah, those fellow servants of Christ Jesus, live from the bounty of great privilege, the greatest privilege of all: the stewards of the Lord God in His Kingdom.
OPEN BOOK: PROVERBS FOR A NEW COVENANT – POOR AND RICH; HIGHS AND LOWS
BRUCE C WEARNE continues his examination of James…
Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. – James 1:9-11/transliteration by Bruce C Wearne.
“Like a flower of the grass he will pass away”. PICTURE: Christian Widell/Unsplash
IN A NUTSHELL
James recalls that the word of the Lord abides for ever; we are privileged to behold the wealth and bounty of His work in His creation.
This letter challenges us to keep what the Gospels teach fresh in our everyday thinking. Recall how Jesus taught His disciples to take a really good look at the birds of the air and the flowers of the field. When they did that they would recall the teaching of John the Baptist, who signalled a mighty renewal in the appreciation of the Messianic promises of the prophets.
John’s comfort was drawn from Isaiah: “The grass withers, the flower fades, as the breath of the Lord blows on it; and yes the people are but grass. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand for ever” (Isaiah 40:7-8).
For us, thanks to Luke’s collection of stories and songs, we can also recall a line from the poetry of the mother of Jesus: “He has brought down the mighty from their thrones; and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, the rich he has sent away empty” (Luke 1:52-53).
Mary’s prophetic poem “updated” that of Hannah, the mother of Samuel (I Samuel 2). Here now was another song for the people of the Lord to sound forth their joy. James is obviously reminding his readers of their rich literary heritage that proclaims the goodness of the Lord in verse and song, in prophetic allusion and poetic challenge.
And is there not also an allusion to the suffering of the wealthy and successful Job (5:11) when James calls upon the rich man to exalt in being brought low? Why should he, the rich man, do that? It is simply because the Lord has done it – He has been bountiful to this steward according to His own counsel. That is the way He works – He grants the rich man great riches and then He takes it away: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and in nakedness shall I return. The Lord has given and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the Name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).
The ongoing assumption is that the people of the Messiah, those fellow servants of Christ Jesus, live from the bounty of great privilege, the greatest privilege of all: the stewards of the Lord God in His Kingdom.
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