In 2016, Rosario Butterfield was speaking at university. After her talk, she met a young woman who was struggling. To Rosario and this lady went to visit the campus chaplain, who was also a counselor over the course of their conversation they found out that this young woman had been listening to a certain social media influencer for something like 10 hours a day, and rewatch video after video after video on a certain subject. She had become so influenced by this person online that she had become discontent with who she was as a woman as a human being. And as a result, she was going to take drastic action, but she was unsure if that action would actually accomplish what she thought it would.
It is easy for us to become discontent with various things in life. Today, as we dive into the book of James, it seems like he touches on that topic.
Open your bibles to James 1.
Last week, we began looking at the book of James as he seeks to provide wisdom for exiled believers.
If we were to boil all of the context of James into one singular message, he seems to be communicating, as Douglas Moo suggests, that “Spiritual ‘wholeness’… is the central concern of the letter.” In other words, James is urging people to be sold-out followers of Christ. This means that whether in times of peace or trial, poverty or wealth, suffering, sickness, or health - we are to be followers of Christ through and through - finding our identity in and acting like Christ. To navigate this takes wisdom and discernment - which we receive from God. It won’t be easy, but as we’ll see to day, it will be worth it.
So, as we dive into today’s text, we’ll be looking at James 1:9-18.
James 1:9–18 ESV
Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 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.
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
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It seems like the point of these verses is that …
“Our station in life is a gift from God, therefore we should be content, persevering under that trials that God allows, looking forward to the eternal reward God will provide.”
You might be looking at that statement and the verses that we just read and be thinking, Joel, how did you get there? Well, I’m glad you asked. Let’s dive into it carefully, but remember context is key.
In the first few verses of our text, we begin to see that…
Our station in life is a gift therefore we can rejoice (9-11)
By station in life, I’m referring to the place that God has us. Workplace, financial conditions, school, abilities, etc. for example, if you’re working, your job affords you a certain lifestyle. It affords certain experiences and faces a certain mixture of obstacles.
One thing I believe James is communicating is that our station is a gift.
Right before this, James urged us to ask God for wisdom because God is a generous, gift-giving God. We shouldn’t doubt.
(talk about the brackets briefly - gift/gift, trials/trials)
Look again at verses 9-11
James 1:9–11 ESV
Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 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.
So here, James says something that is very oxymoronic or contradictory. How can a lowly or poor brother boast in his exaltation, he has nothing to boast about? How can a rich person boast in humiliation - he has everything he could want?
For the “lowly brother” - someone who feels like the month and money never seem to match. He urges that person to boast or rejoice (as the word is used in other parts of the NT) in their station. But how can that happen? I think this happens in two ways.
The lowly can rejoice in their exaltation or high position by being grateful - thanking God for what He HAS provided. We may not feel like it is enough, but in God’s sovereignty it is what he has entrusted us with. As we’ll see in a few minutes - James reminds us that “every good and perfect gift is from above” - I think this includes our station - the resources that God has called us to steward.
In addition to being grateful, I think the lowly brother can…rejoice in the fact that they are called by God. Jesus reminded his disciples that they should Luke 10:20 “Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”” Think about this, if you feel like a lowly brother, but are a brother or sister in Christ - you may not make any Forbes list - even if that list went to the top billion people in the world - but you have made the most important list there is - the list in the book of life. You have been called a child of God, redeemed from the consequences of your sin, given a purpose-filled life. You are known by the only one the really matters - REJOICE in that!
But James doesn’t just stop there, he then moves to the brother or sister who has means - those who are rich. Of course, who really thinks they are rich? Many wealthy people, if you would ask them how much they need, they would reply, just a little more. So James contrasts that tendency by urging these brothers and sisters to boast or rejoice (which is implied) in their “humiliation.” Again, how does this make any sense? I think there are again two similar applications.
be grateful - It seems like rejoicing in humiliation is a humble gratitude. It’s as though this person can say along with the Psalmist with open hands and a grateful heart - Psalm 16:6 “The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” As one person I talked to said recently, he wakes up every day with a simple prayer - “thank you.”
But in addition to being humble or grateful for the material blessings, the rich brother can rejoice in their humiliation because…
Salvation is only found through humility - the wealthy brother or sister recognizes that while he or she has a lot - none of that is what gains eternal life. It’s only when we recognize our desperate need for God’s free gift of grace that we can receive eternal life. In that humiliation the wealthy (and the poor) can rejoice.
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But I think there is another element here that James gets to that impacts both. That is contentment. He’s describing what it means to be content in any station of life.
In her book, Five Lies of our Anti-Christian Age, Rosaria Butterfield discusses contentment and references a definition from the Puritan Jeremiah Burrows. She notes:
“Burroughs defines contentment as "the inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, freely submitting to and taking pleasure in God's disposal in every condition." Burroughs explains that this takes 'heart work within the soul," "a quieting of the heart," submission, which is "sending the soul under God," and "a gracious frame." (p. 251)
I do think there is a difference between contentment and complacency. Complacency seems to express a resignation that nothing matters or even a sense of hopelessness. Contentment seems to say, God, let me flourish in this station in life. I think that as our abilities, competencies, and stewardship grows, God expands our boundaries. But when we are pushing after our boundaries, when we are lining for more wealth or responsibility or comfort or…, the we are getting our priorities out of order.
(consider sharing about season prior to coming to PBC)
In verses 10-11, James talks about the fleeting presence of riches and says “the rich man [will] fade away in the midst of his pursuits.” When money, wealth, fame, power is our aim - then that which we value will perish. As Jesus said…
Matthew 6:24 ESV
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
It’s not that having it is bad, it’s that pursuing, serving, seeking money is vain. The poor can pursue it in hopes of relief. The rich can pursue it in hopes of more. God may bless us with wealth, but ultimately he is the one we should pursue.
So, we can rejoice in the station in life that God gifts to us. Secondly, we should recognize that…
Our station in life brings trials, through which we should persevere with contentment. (12-15)
This is a bit of where the wealth and trials comments connect. James writes…
James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”
Thinking about the topic of wealth or station in life, what are the trials that brothers and sisters would face in either poverty or wealth? Both come with their own challenges - lack of money, burden of taxes, scrutiny from others, lawsuits, greedy friends, being taken advantage of. I’ve heard people complain about having too little and too much. They both have trials.
But notice the promise - for those who persevere - God will reward with the “crown of life.” There is really only one other place in scripture that phrase is used and that’s in Revelation 2:10 “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
It’s unclear what this crown is - for the first century listeners, they might have been imagining a crown like a laurel wreath around one’s head at the end of a race. We do know that this crown is in addition to salvation, it’s eternal, and is a reward for perseverance.
Whatever trials (test from the outside) that your station in life entails - persevere! Keep in mind what James said in the early part of the chapter - James 1:2–4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
But, James does an interesting thing the Greek language that we don’t see very clearly in English. The word translated “trials” refers to something from the outside - pressure, force, persecution, test, suffering. These are things that God allows. This might be a sickness, an untimely bill, a relational challenge, an accident, an unexpected loss of a job, etc. Outside forces pressing in.
Closely related to that word in Greek - in fact having the same root - is temptation - something that is from within.
Look at the next couple of verses:
James 1:13–15 “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”
When we are tempted, we can’t count that as a trial or a test from God - instead it’s something from within us. It’s a longing for something we don’t have. It’s something that we have to work at purging.
So often we look at what we might call “big sins” - like gluttony or lust. You glance at that food or that person, think about it, enticement has set in, engage, and eat or …. A poor diet can certainly shorten a life span, un checked lust can destroy a life.
But what about the financial or station in life context of these verses?…God has alloted us a certain amount or gifted us with abilities that allow us to earn so much.
A trial might be a car repair that extends beyond your emergency savings.
The temptation - do I put that on a credit card - it’s easy, I can pay over time, do I avoid tithing as an act of worship so that I can pay this, maybe I buy a lottery ticket or even go so far as to steal some food since the car bill is taking my food budget.
Conversely, what if we were to get a second opinion on the car or if it’s something like the AC or that cosmetic repair, do without until the resources are there or park the car until the resources are available and ask for help.
Or on a more positive note,
What if you receive a prompting from the Spirit to give to a certain cause over an above what you’re comfortable with. Maybe it’s in support of a missionary that you hear is in need, or a crisis pregnancy center that has an opportunity to purchase an ultra-sound machine, or maybe even a ministry that helps at risk kids. You know that the Holy Spirit is prompting you.
Temptation
on one hand might be to give so that you can get notoriety - maybe it’s your name on a plaque or some acknowledgement from the recipient. Or maybe a temptation is to ignore it - “no, the HS certainly didn’t say that, we can’t afford that.”
James’ comment here is that when we open the door to temptation, the end result is death. I love his play on words - normally birth brings life, but birth of a temptation brings death.
Philo, in his tractate on the Decalogue (par. 153):
“For all the wars of Greeks and barbarians between themselves or against each other … are sprung from one source, desire, the desire for money or glory or pleasure. These it is that bring disaster to the human race.”
Unchecked and unbalanced desires have plagued the human race since the beginning. Look at how Eve follows these steps.
Genesis 3:6 ESV
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
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From that point on, sin has stained the human race - which brings us to our final point.
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Our station in life finds it’s root in the Gospel (16-18)
We may or may not like the station in life in which God has placed us. We may or may not like our circumstances, gifts, abilities, resources…. But I think we have to recognize that what we have is a gift from God for our good and for His glory.
James 1:16–18 ESV
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
God gives good gifts.
God is a good gift giver.
What we have - our station, circumstances, trials, etc, are gifts from God. They are good and perfect - just what we need or what we’re ready to use. What’s more, in God’s good gift-giving, he isn’t shifty or devious. He has His reasons. He knows what we can handle. The trials we encounter come at just the right time, according to God.
Think about the hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness.
Great is thy faithfulness, O God my father
There is no shadow of turning with thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not,
As thou hast been thou forever will be
And then thinking about God’s provision in the chorus of that great hymn
All I have needed, Thy hand has provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.
But notice the last verse of that song and the last verse of our passage for today.
Pardoned for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside.
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God implanted in us his “word of truth” - in other words, the gospel of our salvation. Ephesians 1:13 reminds us “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,” God’s word revealed to us our utter need for him and his deep and abiding love for us - the redemption that he brought through Jesus Christ. If you are a follower of Christ, the moment you received God’s pardon, his forgiveness, his free gift of eternal life - EVERYTHING CHANGED! Your purpose, motivation, ambition, outlook - everything is different. Which is why James calls us to live with “spiritual wholeness.” There is not a little of spirituality and a little of carnality - it’s supposed to be all his. That where the best fruit is borne in our lives.
There is no half-way Christianity. We will not be perfect, but if we live with the humility and the gratitude that James seems to recommend here, then we will live lives that truly Honor God and that truly bear fruit for His glory.
Brothers and sisters in Christ - be content with the station in which God has placed you. Continue to grow and learn, but persevere through trials, resist temptation, look forward to the day when Christ will reward you with a crown of life.
Friend, if you have not yet trusted in Christ as your savior, I pray that you might understand the wisdom that James is sharing here, but also the hope. You live in one of the most prosperous nations on earth. Your wealth may gain you a lot here, but will be worthless in eternity. Repent of your sin, trust in Christ as your savior, learn to live with contentment, and watch as God bears fruit through you.
Closing thoughts.
This week, I was listening to a podcast that Danielle recommended - “Dadville.” The hosts were interviewing David Nasser - an Iranian born, Muslim background believer. When he became a follower of Christ, his earthy father disowned him. He was kicked out of his house. No money for college, no place to call home, no resources. He was living in a house with 7 other guys, just trying to survive. His station in life was not one anyone would envy. A brother in Christ at a church close by who did not know David called him up and invited him to meet at the parking lot of a church. The man, Mr. Russell, rather simple, but a man of means, looked at David for the first time and said - “I heard that your biological father has abandoned. Your heavenly father has not. You have many other men who are brothers in Christ who will be fathers to you.” Essentially he said, I feel led to help you in this small way that I can. He then presented David with a check - enough to pay for his way through college.
David gratefully accepted this check, went on to complete college, got married, wrote books, spoke, witness for Christ - impacting thousands of people for the Kingdom of God.
20 years later, at 38 years old, David was in a line at a rental place to rent a popcorn machine for his daughter’s birthday. At the front of the line was a man renting a back hoe. When David heard clerk say “Mr. Russell, here is your receipt, bring your truck around and we’ll get you set up with the back hoe” he was immediately brought back to the church parking lot and wondered if he might be the same Mr. Russell. He followed the man out to his truck and said - “Sir, you may not remember be, but 20 years ago you blessed me. You called me out of the blue and paid for my way through college.” The man replied something to the effect of “how can I help you now” with all the grace and generosity you can imagine. David proceeded to share what had happened in his life through that man’s faithfulness and said that he would like to help with his back hoe things - but knows nothing - and then simply said, “can I give you a hug?”
David Nasser is known as a preacher, writer, evangelist. He has led thousands of people to Christ and continues to faithfully serve God in the station in which God has placed him.
Mr. Russell is likely not well known outside of his Alabama town was equally as faithful. Quietly, humbly using the gifts that God had endowed to him - stewarding his resources, following the prompting of the Spirit. God has and is bearing fruit through him.
May God do the same through us as we faithfully follow him.
Let’s pray.
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Benediction:
1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Sources:
Butterfield, Rosaria. Five Lies of Our Anti Christian Age. Wheaton, IL; Crossway, 2023.
?Dadville Podcast - “David Nasser: A Life of Scandalous Generosity”
Moo, Douglas J. The Letter of James. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2000.
Moyter, J.A. The Message of James. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grover, IL; Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1985.
Nystrom, David P. The NIV Application Commentary: James. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1997.
