Rich and poor alike, we are all the same to God. He expects us to serve and honor Him, no matter what position we find ourselves in life.
Let the believer who is lowly boast in being raised up, and the rich in being brought low, because the rich will disappear like a flower in the field. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the field; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. It is the same way with the rich; in the midst of a busy life, they will wither away.
James 1:9-11 NRSV
At the time this was written, wealthy landowners in Palestine, as well as much of the Roman Empire, exploited the poor. Economic and social tensions raged even to the point of war and bloodshed. James was trying to teach Christians that their worth came not in the form of money, but rather from God's grace. The poor were to rejoice because God's grace exalted them. The rich were to rejoice because God's grace humbled them and brought them to a place beyond their wealth. God's grace levels the playing field.
In the United States, most of us would not consider ourselves rich. However, compared to the rest of the world, we are extremely wealthy. Whatever position you find yourself in today, approach it behind the veil of grace. If you are burdened with debt, barely able to make ends meet, remember that God's grace is above all that. If you are doing fairly well by the world's standards, remember that money is temporary and has no eternal value. Don't fall into the trap of elevating riches above grace. And if you find yourself somewhere in the middle, remember that life will fade and wither like a flower. Don't get lulled into such a sense of busyness that you wake up one day to see that life has passed you by. Make the most of wherever you are, always rejoicing that God's grace brings us all to the same place.
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