Morning Moments

JAMES Devotional Outline

V. Miscellaneous Messes 5:1-20
A. External Pressue 5:1-12
1. Treasure 5:1-3
2. Treatment 5:4-11

We seem to think that Jesus was mistaken when He told us that the world would hate us. We want it to accept us and appreciate us and to applaud our efforts to make it a better place. After all, isn't that why we are here?

But the world is dominated and manipulated by its own god - the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that works in the children of disobedience. The world loves its own and it has its own way of doing things to get ahead by:

a. Exploiting

5:4. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

Work people as long as you can for as little as you can and get as much out of them as you can so you can make as much as you can. That philosophy has created a nightmare in the American culture and around the world. The exploitation of the worker has led to the rebellion of the worker, which has led to the elimination of the work force. Blacks were exploited in far too many cases for far too long and the black work force rebelled and the pendulum swung too far in the opposite direction and created a welfare state among far too many blacks and we are rapidly proceeding toward doing the same thing with the mexican work force. Every human being is worth understanding and deserves respect and appreciation as a human being and should be treated as such made in the image of God.

Christianity treats everyone justly and as we wish to be treated, with respect and appreciation. Partiality is SIN. Any worker is worthy of his/her hire and we are to realize that a loaf of bread costs us all the same, as does a gallon of milk, etc. It is not just when I am making a fortune at the expense of those who are working for me to make me rich. That is exploitation and is NOT the Christian thing to do.

There is of course another side to the story. As Christians we should work hard for those who employ us and not shortchange them or slack in our work for them. We are to do our work "as unto the Lord" and "be content with our wages." We DO have rights of appeal but we do not have rights to rebel and ruin. "If a man doesn't work, he ought not eat." We help the poor, not the worthless. Sometimes we need a kick in the pants as opposed to a helping hand. We have so protected our children from work that they grew up in many cases not knowing how to work. A child must be taught to work as home first. To protect them from that is to destroy the work ethic of a society.

What is so difficult about taking care of those who take care of us. I often think about some of the arrogant pilots in the military who have little respect and consideration for those guys on the ground that keep their planes flying. One may be a skillful pilot but if it were not for the guys on the ground the pilot would not be or remain in the air. It's just common sense not to bite the hand that feeds you and not to exploit the people who keep you in business. The job of the grease monkey under the plane keeps the sharply dressed and skillful pilot flying. There are always those who are getting dirty for us to stay clean and they should be highly regarded and respected.

If you are in a position of wealth and power, use wisdom and don't exploit those who work so hard to make you "fly". Sacrifice so that they might do a little better to - that's the Christian thing to do whether or not it is the "capitalistic" thing to do. Exploit no one but express gratitude to all.

BLESSINGS!