Feb. 27, 2015: James 2:5-6

We encourage you to read this devotion three times a day.  Start in the morning and reflect upon the morning reflection question. Then in the afternoon, read it again and reflect using the noon question for reflection.  For the evening, take time to ponder how this has resonated with you in the day and reflecting using the evening question.  We offer a prayer with each devotion for you to pray or we invite you to pray what is in your heart.

James 2:5 - 6

“Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court?”

Reflection:

Have you ever played the game Monopoly? When I was a child, we didn’t really play it. My mom hated it. However, it was a favorite past time in my seminary career.  There were some rainy days or days in which we were avoiding homework that we gathered in the common lounge to engage in this game.  There are moments that you see the competitiveness come out in seminarians. As the game goes on and people collect more property and gain wealth, something occurs.  Oppression happens. The lowly ones begin to scrape together the pretend dollars to cover debts, desperate deals with others are made, and you see the low in power work together to attempt to conquer the rich. 

When power develops, a new dynamic appears.  When reading this part of James, it points out how worldly possessions can push us to dishonor one another.  Just like the example of Monopoly, we can get caught up in the excitement and miss the opportunity to become rich in our faith. 

Reflection Questions:

Morning: Do you ever struggle with oppressing the poor? 

Noon: Do you feel oppressed by the rich? How?

Evening: How can you become richer in your faith in God?

Prayer: God of power, we sometimes fail to be obedient. There are times that we oppress others and we allow ourselves to be oppressed. Allow us to know the richness in our faith rather than the riches in the world. Lead us to know Your love. Amen.