Saturday 26th April
Read James 2:5; 4:13; 5:1
“Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?
Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’
Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you.” (NIVUK)
We have all wanted to grab someone by the scruff of the neck, look them in the eyes and make them listen. As innumerable proverbs argue, fools are unwilling to listen, but the wise will consider a rebuke as drops of dew from heaven. The call to listen is often made in warning.
Consider James’ letter. He begins by exhorting those who hear it to listen closely to God’s word and do what it says (James 1:19-22). But there follow three exhortations that that begin with the call to ‘Listen’. All of them suggest that wealth, and its pursuit, can be dangerous to one’s spiritual health.
Can you feel the scruff of your neck being grabbed? James wants us to hear the warning but too often the call to ‘listen’ is ignored. James probably heard Jesus often warn those with ‘ears to hear’ to listen closely and reflect. Are we amongst those with ‘ears to hear’?
