October 27, 2025 | Be God's Family
The Self-Indulgence Trap
Scripture: James 5:1-6(NIV)
1 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your 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. 4 Look! 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. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.
Devotional
Last weekend, we received a call from our 14-year-old niece, who is in middle school. She was crying because a few mean girls had made fun of her. She felt hurt that none of her friends stood up for her. This phone call made me reflect on times when I witnessed the oppression of innocent people but remained silent due to my lack of courage to defend those who were defenseless.
James proclaims the worthlessness of riches, not the worthlessness of the rich. Today's money will be worthless when Christ returns, so we should spend our time accumulating the kind of treasures that will be worthwhile in God's eternal kingdom. Money is not the problem; Christian leaders need money to live and support their families; missionaries need money to help them spread the gospel; churches need money to do their work effectively. But the love of money leads to sin and causes people to oppress others in order to get more. This is a warning to all Christians who are tempted to adopt worldly standards rather than God's standards, as well as encouragement to all those who are oppressed by the rich.
If we are not the wealthy oppressors, are we to stand idly by? If we are members of a society where oppression is widely practiced, we may also fall under God's judgment, even if we are not personally treating others unjustly. James makes it clear that believers need to be a force that combats oppression and treats people who are poor with respect, no matter how much money they have. Allegiance to Christ ought to make a difference in the way we help anyone who is powerless to help and protect themselves, whether the poor and unemployed in our communities or refugees and immigrants arriving from foreign countries.
The "innocent" were defenseless people, probably poor laborers who suffered at the hands of wealthy landowners. Poor people who could not pay their debts were often imprisoned and forced to sell all their possessions. At times, they were even forced to sell their family members into slavery. With no opportunity to work off their debts, poor people often died of starvation. God called this murder. Hoarding money, exploiting employees, and living self-indulgently will not escape God's notice. Fair treatment and generosity towards those dependent on us, matters to God.
A Call to action: Find ways to advocate for poor and defenseless individuals, even when it is challenging or costly.
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Your Course
Proverbs 22
A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all. One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.
Proverbs 22: 1, 2, 16
What good is it to train and sweat
If running the wrong course?
Be sure that you’re on the right path
Which leads not to remorse
If wealth is your primary goal
For which you sweat and toil
Moth, rust and thieves destruction bring
Your riches soon will spoil
Instead, your character and faith--
These goals your eyes upon--
Your race for Life, the Truth, the Way
Be this the course you run
