“He Will Pass Away”

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 1:10&11

The man who glories in riches is spiritually lowly. James points out the irony of this man’s station – if he recognized he had nothing to boast in he would see his need for God; which is amongst our greatest blessings. The man of low-estate knows he has nothing but his inheritance in Christ. The rich man – and it is important to note James is not talking about Christians, which is why he does not call him “brother” – exalts himself based on what he owns. But James comments that this man’s possessions are of no value to him because they can do nothing to preserve him spiritually.

James is not concerned with the rich man’s possessions, but with the man himself. It is the man who fades like the flower, and does so even as he is accumulating his wealth. He is pathetic. He spends his time in his business, but is faltering all the time he works. He adds to what he has, but what he has does nothing to protect him from decay. The only way our withering is reversed is being connected to he who overcame the scorching heat – our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. James is not condemning possessions, but he is pointing out their inability to help us spiritually.

Even those of us of lowly condition are tempted to put our faith in material goods. We say it is Christ who enables us to endure, but we cannot help thinking things would be better if we had more money, or were able to measure up to those we consider above us. “Let he who glories, glory in the Lord.” Material goods can be helpful, but they are no means of attaining that which is truly of worth. In Jesus we have life abundant. Let us not exchange that for that which has no life at all.