For a small book, James certainly has much spiritual food for our consumption! What I’m reminded of is our human arrogance and how we view ourselves as commanders of our destiny. James points to our errors and forces us to heed the Word. He does not call it stewardship specifically, but James clearly points out the need to be God centered as we use our time, treasure and talents.
James 4:13-17 — Now listen you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year
there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and does not do it, sins.”
Psalms 39:6-7 — Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro; he bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth not knowing who will get it. But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.
Proverbs 27:1 — Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day might bring.
In the first passage above James is reminding his readers of their creaturely dependence. He calls human life “a mist that appears for a little while, and then vanishes.” Mind you, the metaphor is not about our value but about our length of time here. Never forget we are significant enough to God for Him to offer the life of His one and only Son. In this passage James is not directly criticizing money-making or business planning. He is criticizing the mind-set which we see too often in our selfish world, that we determine our own destinies and alone chart our own courses in the world. James uses the financial illustration to get his point across because he knows our attitude toward money and possessions are especially good indicators of our sense of depending (or lack thereof) on God. We should submit ourselves and our financial plans to God. After all, if Jesus, who was God himself, submitted his plan to the will of his Father in Gethsemane, should we not do the same in everything we do? Taking it further, it is not as simple as just saying, “Lord willing” whenever we announce plans to do something. Instead of just paying lip service to God’s sovereignty, we must have a mind set of dependence on God that directs our consciousness in every action we take. If we seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness, every else of true value will be given to us.
Blessings on your stewardship journey,
Alison Smith
