The Pursuit of People - James

James 1:11 (ESV) 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.

This is an often neglected verse from the first chapter of James. I think it is because most Americans hope it is not true.  For we are the rich ones.  We Americans are the ones who have "pursuits" and "dreams" that require or center on the accumulation of money.  

Yet, the rich man will fade away in the midst of such things.

Jerry Buss died this past week.  A billionaire who owned the Lakers is gone.  He has faded away.  

Tonight I watched Schindler's List.  At the end of the movie, Oskar Schindler is leaving the factory where he saved 1100 Jews from the holocaust.  He looks at his car and says, "Why did I keep this car? This car was 10 more people."  Then he looks at his pin and says, "This pin was 2 more people."  He starts to see his possessions for what they could have been - a life saved.  

Oh how we need the same perspective.  That we don't get so hung up on having things that we forget Jesus calls PEOPLE the true riches of heaven.  Jesus came to give his life as a RANSOM for people.  Jesus saves PEOPLE.  

Jesus lived by a different value system.  Jesus lived beyond the world's evaluations and reflected perfectly the Father's evaluation.  No sheep or goat helped on a Sabbath should take precedence over a human being!  No amount of worldly notoriety or wealth can equal the value of a soul.  Jesus lived on a different economic evaluation strata than any one ever did.

Do you want a valid pursuit in life?  Do what Jesus did.  Make it about people.  Use worldly wealth, Jesus said in Luke 16, to make friends.  Spend what you have on bringing PEOPLE TO GOD.  Because Jesus spent Himself to bring you there.

PRAYER:

Father, help me to remember that more life is not found in more stuff. I tend to get obsessive about things.  I think about how I could acquire a few more toys (technology) and forget that technology is outdated within a year.  People last forever.  Father, forgive my insensitivity to your heart and value system.  Help me value my family, my friends, my Spiritual family and those far from God before any possession or bottom line figure.  I ask in Jesus' Name.  AMEN.