Responsibility
This is an interesting verse to come across as we enter the Christmas season. The preceding 5 verses essentially talk about how the wealth of rich people will testify against them. Verse 3 says “You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.” Verse 5 says “You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.” And then verse 6 hits pretty hard.
As my wife and I go through the motions of deciding what Christmas gifts to buy for friends and family, I am continually reminded of the staggering fact that American’s spend $450 billion on Christmas every year. And that it would only take an estimated $20 billion to give everyone in the world clean drinking water. Is James talking about things we do at least once every year during the Advent season? Though we often don’t feel or seem wealthy, we are all quite well off when compared to many others in the world.
For some reason, this brings to mind another verse in James that we discussed in church a short while back. James 1:27 says, “religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
I don’t know if these verses necessarily connect, but I feel like they both point to the responsibility we have. We are followers of Christ. And we are mostly wealthy compared to the majority of the world. So are we the ones who are condemning and murdering innocent people?
I must say that this is all pretty uncomfortable to write, as I feel like I don’t do a very good job of following these commands myself. But if Christ paid our penalty and we are truly living for something beyond this temporary life, then should we be doing more for those who cannot do for themselves?
Thoughts?
As Lizzy and I discussed this weekend what could be written about these verses, I was blank on what to say. You said it so well! Thank you for your words.
Your Mother in Law…..Janet