*9*Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, *10*and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. *11*For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
James 1:9–11.
It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor, you’re still going to wither like the grass one day. The same thing happens to us all. It doesn’t matter what you have or what you don’t because on the day you take your final breath it won’t effect your eternal destination. So, whichever condition you are in right now, do not gloat about it.
James calls the poor to, ‘boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation’. Both very counter-cultural statements. In society, it is often those with money who have influence and power, who are upheld by others and admired and so have the platform to exalt themselves. Therefore James instructs those who are rich to boast in their humiliation not in their worldly influence. If you consider yourself rich, James exhorts you to not get swept away with what you have. Don’t go around showing off your riches and opportunities, but remember that without Jesus you really have nothing! When you compare what you have to the power, influence and renown of God, what does what you have look like? Even the richest people on Earth look poor compared to God. Put your life into God's perspective. When you consider God and His kingdom, what is your life worth? Therefore boast in your humiliation.
On the other hand, James tells those who are deemed poor to, ‘boast in his exaltation’. If you consider yourself poor and lacking today, James instructs you not to boast about what you lack. Instead remember how much you DO have. James invites you to develop an attitude of gratitude. You have much to be grateful for. If nothing else, then the minimum that you have is the fact that Jesus has given you life, a future and many promises. If you live your life following him, you have so much; You have a purpose, an eternal future, a relationship with God, a place prepared in heaven and you are an heir with Jesus! Even the poorest on Earth can be rich in eternity, so put your life into God's perspective and consider what is your life worth? Therefore boast in your exaltation.
The point here is that God does not want us to get carried away with our current circumstances on Earth as one day it will all be gone. So, instead of being concerned about being rich or poor, think about how much your life is worth to God. He sent His only son to die for you and He has invited you to live eternally with Him - this is worth boasting about, not the state of your finances. Whatever your situation right now, it will end. Whereas your eternal inheritance will not. Whether you think you have a lot or a little, one day it will all be irrelevant. It will ‘pass away’ and ‘wither’. So don’t build your life upon what you have in the here and now as it is transitory. Those things won’t mean a thing when you get to see Jesus face to face, the will wither and fade away.
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