NOTES for Jam 5:1-6
And this is about us too... We so want to say: how can this possibly have anything to do with me?! I have hardly ever seen any money at all, and what little I have—can that really be called money? Can that be called wealth?
And yet this is about us. James is not saying that the mere possession of money terribly hinders one’s relationship with God. He is speaking about what happens when a person relies on wealth and considers that wealth his support. It is then that, for the sake of this wealth, he forgets God and robs his neighbors... And when wealth is treated in this way, it rusts. But wait, can gold rust? That is precisely the point. Each of us has treasures that can rust and perish if we place our hope in them, rely on them alone, think about them more than about our neighbors and God, and love them more than the Lord... What are these treasures? For one person, they are gifts and abilities. For another, time; for someone else, freedom. In short, such treasures are whatever we would be unable to give up right now. And now, honestly, let us remember what constitutes such wealth for us—and reread the passage once more.