James 5:1-6

¹Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. ²Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. ³Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. ⁴Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. ⁵You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. ⁶You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

Silent Mode

If I remember it, I switch my cellphone to “Silent” mode during worship services. And sometimes, some of you would call me after worship services, and you do not get answers from me. It happens when I forgot that my cellphone is still on “Silent” mode. So, if you can send me text messages, I will respond to it whenever I can.

Certainly, church members know that it is not very appropriate to call me during worship services. But since there had been unexpected calls from unknown callers, I try and make sure that my cellphone won’t ring during worship services, if I remember it.

How do you respond to unknown callers? How do you usually answer callers that you don’t personally know? Someone uses non-English languages of saying “Hello!”

If you’ve registered online and you have sent resume or application letters online, your name and telephone number had become public. Your personal information may have been shared already. Dishonest individuals take advantage of innocent people.

Dishonest people want to get rich very quickly. They want easy money that they may spend on their luxurious indulgence. It declares in Proverbs 13:11, ¹¹Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.

The wisest and richest king of Israel, King Solomon knew that very well. He had wisely ventured in different business trades and industries: “Agriculture, orchard, ranch, vineyard, realty, mining industry, shipping lines, transportation, construction, and many other trades.” Initially, he prayed for godly wisdom and God granted him wisdom.

With godly wisdom, King Solomon had personally proven and honestly made his wealth increased. Honesty was his open secret for gaining much wealth. He advised that “whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.” Where is honesty in that phrase?

As oppose to dishonest money, the phrase “little by little” can be interpreted as honestly gathered money. Can you believe that godly wisdom promotes honesty?

With godly wisdom, you invest in honest ventures; God makes your money grow!

It advised in Deuteronomy 25:15, ¹⁵You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

Godly wisdom is practical proof of faith in God; it promotes honest investments. With godly wisdom, King Solomon ventured in business honestly. So, listen reflectively!

1.  Listen

¹Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. ²Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. ³Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 

            Reflect on this: If employers pay their employees on time, they are honest. If they intentionally delay salaries, it’s dishonesty. Why won’t they pay on time, if they pay anyway? Maybe they want their money to earn a little more interests in the bank.

And, if family budget depends on daily wage and salary comes late, where will employees get food? How do they pay their bills? Desperate in dire need, they borrow money from loan sharks or people who offer loans at extremely high interest rates.

Can believers avoid late payment of salary? Pray sincerely for your employers to have godly wisdom, so that they may exceedingly satisfied in their wealth and prosper. Pray that the Lord move the heart of your employers to increase your salary or even promote you. Then, you won’t be dependent on daily wage and you will have extra savings.

Is that possible? Here is a promise of God to his people in Leviticus 25:17-22: ¹⁷Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God. I am the Lord your God. ¹⁸Follow my decrees and be careful to obey my laws, and you will live safely in the land. ¹⁹Then the land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and live there in safety. ²⁰You may ask, “What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not plant or harvest our crops?” ²¹I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years. ²²While you plant during the eighth year, you will eat from the old crop and will continue to eat from it until the harvest of the ninth year comes in.

Listen: Do you go to work on time? Do you spend 30 minutes in the washroom before your actual work and another 30 minutes before going home on time? You have taken advantage or cheated one working hour from your employers. That’s dishonesty!

Dishonesty at work is also rebellion to the decree of God not to take advantage. God’s decree of honesty and not take advantage is godly principle of abundance. Honest employees don’t take advantage of their employers: you heard it right! Honest employees come to work early and go home after allotted time. They do not spend work hours in the washroom before actual work and before going home.

Certain Christians believe godly principles of abundance from the Lord specified in the Scripture. They have proven to be true when they cheerfully obeyed.

Pray for the Boss

Lately, a believer testified that she regularly arrives at work earlier than on time and goes home very much later than on time. At first, her boss was very harsh to her. However, she always prays for her boss. What happened? She had salary increase. How much? More than regulated salary increase and it happened not just once but a couple of times.

Can you believe that? I presume that she would not stop praying for her boss.

The Lord would certainly make sure that honest believers will be compensated. Pray for stronger faith and godly wisdom so that you’ll gladly work honestly. And again, regularly pray sincerely for godly wisdom for your employers also. Pray that you may become exceedingly wealthy and honest in dealing with their employee.

If you are business owner, if God blesses you to become manager, read this Psalm 12:5: ⁵ “Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord. “I will protect them from those who malign them.” God will see to it that prayerful believers will get justice that they deserve.

As long as you are working under your boss, sincerely pray regularly for godly wisdom, honesty and prosperity for your boss. Why? With godly wisdom, honesty and prosperity, your boss may look after your benefits and other employees, too.

2.  Look

⁴Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 

Certainly, if you are employed, you do not wish that your boss would delay your wages, right? You may hate the idea of crying to God because of dishonest employer. It is very advisable to regularly pray for your employers very fervently that they may honestly and sincerely look after the welfare of their employees. You’ll be blessed.

            Reflect on this: If you are looking for a job, if you hoping to change career, if you hope to be employed after graduation, here’s a very significant factor to pray for: Every moment you remember it, fervently pray regularly that your employer or future employer will have godly wisdom and honesty. Surely, you want to thank and praise God for honest employers instead of crying for unfair treatment at work, right?

Do you have terrible case? Do you feel like you deserve better? Were you forced to work in unfriendly environment because of circumstance you just cannot control?

Joseph son of Jacob

Compare your situation with Joseph, the favorite son of Jacob. As favorite son, Joseph had been treated much better than his other siblings. His siblings were envious of him and sold him to slavery. Was it fair for Joseph? Joseph kept on trusting God.

In Egypt, Joseph honestly served Potiphar who bought him as slave. God blessed his boss and as such, Potiphar promoted Joseph as manager of his household. But, Joseph was falsely accused and thrown in prison, as if testing of his faith was not enough.

Do you have harsher or worse situation than Joseph? It says in Genesis 39:23 ²³The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

Of course, you may have read or heard that Joseph was promoted as the highest ruler in Egypt, next to Pharaoh eventually. What can we learn from Joseph’s experience?

Joseph was sold as slave to Potiphar and he was convinced that he prospered because of Joseph. Can you accept that God impressed such in the heart of Potiphar? When Joseph was imprisoned, can you accept that the Lord impressed in the heart of the warden to entrust all prison concern under Joseph’s care? When Joseph was promoted as Prime Minister of Egypt, can you accept that the Lord impressed in the heart of Pharaoh to grant Joseph authority over the entire Egypt?

It says in Isaiah 61:8, ⁸For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them.

What can we interpret when the Lord says that he loves justice and hate robbery and wrongdoing? The Lord is faithful and just; he rewards honest believers who deserve reward practically and that may even translate to everlasting or eternal recognition.

Pray for stronger faith and godly wisdom to discern that God is concerned of our essential needs, both practical and spiritual. For employees and future employees, sincerely pray regularly for godly wisdom, honesty and prosperity for your boss. If God blesses you with promotion or higher salary increase than other employees and those employees were bitter about you, pray for them also that they will rejoice with you too.

if in God’s perfect time you prosper, how would you live your life wisely?

3.  Live

⁵You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. ⁶You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.        

Do you have godly wisdom to live in prosperity? If you are praying for prosperity, pray also that your lifestyle will serve as testimony of praise and gratitude to God. The biblical warning against luxurious indulgence can only be paid attention to by faith, of course. Be prayerful, if you are dreaming or living in luxurious indulgence.

What are some of those activities that are considered luxurious indulgences?

It warns us in Isaiah 5:11ff, ¹¹Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine. ¹²They have harps and lyres at their banquets, pipes and timbrels and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord, no respect for the work of his hands.
¹⁸Woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit, and wickedness as with cart ropes, ²⁰Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

²¹Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. ²²Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks, ²³who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent.

These are but some of the woeful lifestyles that are abominable, calamitous and deplorable as clearly recorded in the Scripture. There are indulgent lifestyles mentioned biblically that specifically cause disastrous and lamentable consequences.

What comes to you mind when you hear sermons about luxurious indulgences? Do you sense condemnation and anger in your heart when luxurious life is addressed?

It says in Matthew 5:21-22, ²¹You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ ²²But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.

Preachers know that if they preach against luxurious indulgence, listeners may get angry. Sometimes, preachers avoid sermons that provoke congregation to get angry with them. Why? Anger against preacher has woeful and disastrous consequences.

Anyway, it also considered sin for preachers not to preach against indulgence. Everyone, preacher or not, each believer is reminded in James 4:17, ¹⁷ If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

What’s good that preachers ought to do? What’s good that we ought to do? 

Post Pandemic

The government had lessened restrictions of travelling and many believers are planning to travel wherever their money can allow them to go. Of course, you have all your privileges to spend your wealth the best way you wish. Ecclesiastes 5:19-20 says, ¹⁹When God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. ²⁰They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.

If you can enjoy your wealth and your career, you must be blessed. May the Lord continue to bless you it be  overflowing so that your lifestyle serves as practical proof of his grace, and that you may praise and thank him all the days of your life now and forever!

Lastly, when it says, ⁶You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you, some theologians suggests that it pertains to the death of Christ.

It is very appropriate to remember the death and resurrection of Christ for us to keep hoping that one day, he will return to bring us to eternal enjoyment in heaven.

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