“Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10. and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11. 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.” (Jam. 1:9-11). One’s social standing has no bearing on your worth to the Father. He is not impressed with the size of your bank account; He is not impressed with you being one of the “in crowd”; He is not impressed with how many degrees you have; He is not impressed with anything the world considers an advantage.
Too many people come to church and flaunt their status, mostly gained from wealth. These people are the “decision-makers” who use their considerable resources to manipulate any given situation. In fact, in several churches I know, the “bishop elder,” as I sarcastically call him, has the largest bank account. This man, arrogant in his ways, is not to be trifled with. Dare to do so and possibly be confronted with his rageful wrath. Of course, it may also be an a-type alpha personality man, but more often than not, both criteria are attributed to one and the same individual. Let me place a disclaimer here before continuing. Most elders are men of considerable honor and integrity, but unfortunately, there are some bad apples among the baskets of great ones.
Let me give you an example. The men of a new congregation met to discuss an important matter. The church had recently broken away from a much larger congregation and had secured a location to worship in. A lively debate ensued after someone brought up the question of a suitable name. Most considered it obvious that the street’s name would be most appropriate, but one man disagreed vehemently. It was the “Bishop elder.” His wife had thought of a “catchy” name, and he was unwilling to back down an inch. After a few minutes of enthusiastic but cautious debate, he had had enough of the insolence of those who dared to oppose him. He stood up and rather arrogantly proclaimed, “My Granddaddy was a preacher and an elder. My Daddy was a preacher and an elder. And I am an elder, which gives me heritage in the church. I think that carries weight in decisions like this.”
To say he was met with stunned silence is an understatement, and, unfortunately, as a brand-new Christian, I did not have the spiritual maturity to rebut his ridiculous claim. Sadly, none of the other men did either. No one wanted to risk the church losing its primary financial supporter. There was no doubt that the majority disagreed with him. Still, no one dared to confront him for fear of the certain tongue-lashing or the possibility of him abandoning the congregation. Ultimately, the one chose for the many, and his wife received her wish.
If that happened today, I would have something to say in response. I may say, “Let’s investigate that statement by reading Mat. 19:28, “Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” I may continue with, “Are you claiming to be one of the twelve?” I may also quote the selected scripture for today to correct his erroneous belief. If God rewards us differently, it will be based solely on our words and actions and will have nothing to do with our financial prowess or family heritage.
Arrogance is not a pretty look and is also not one that will confer blessings on you from the Almighty. That is why James clearly says that the rich man should boast in his humility. That way, he can see his true standing before God and adjust his life to ensure that he does not fall into the trap of fading away in the midst of his pursuits. There is nothing wrong with being rich as long as the one blessed with that wealth prospers in spiritual matters over earthly desires.
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