James 5:1-6 Justice in Labor

James 5:1-12 NIV
Justice in regards to pay can be a balancing act. On the one side there are those in this world who get rich off of the unfair wages and labor of others. There are those who do not get paid fair wages for an awful lot of work. The rich get richer on the backs of the poor who get poorer. However, on the other side there are also those who would have everything given to them without a fair days labor given for those wages.

As some employers get rich while paying their employees minimum wages; others lose their businesses because they cannot keep up with the continual rising costs of having employees. The cost of unemployment taxes, workman's compensation, and other insurances can be prohibitive for many small businesses, eventually leading to not only loss of jobs for employees; but, for the employer, as well. I know more than one small business; although their employees do not get rich, the owner actually makes less than their employees while contributing more time and work. Just because someone owns a small business we ought to be careful not to consider that they are getting rich on the backs of their employees. Some suffer in order to provide their employees employment.

At a small group study yesterday, we reflected on how many of the first immigrants came to this country in the pursuit of freedom of religion. Today, the gods that bring people to this country are often more economic in nature. They come for many reasons. Some because of religious persecution. Others also come because of economic oppression in their own countries. Say what we will about the economic conditions of this country, we are still one of the richest in the world. We thank God for this economic freedom; but, at the same time we must beware that this economic freedom does not become a god in itself for us. As individuals, as Christians, we must strive to pay fair wages in exchange for fair labor. As individuals, we ought to strive to provide fair labor for the fair wages we are paid. We need to try to ensure that our corroded gold and silver don't become testimonies against us.

Whether we are employers or employees; whatever we do, we do it unto the Lord; so that God is glorified. Do justice for your employee and your employer so that all may eat and none should suffer.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Romans 10 Faithful Zeal

Romans 10 NIV
Many years ago, I was in sitting in a "religious" class and I responded to a question with this: "Faith comes by hearing by the Word." The response from the Pastor/teacher was no it does not and he moved on. That was that!

Paul wrote to the Romans: "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." (vs 17) And... no, not everyone who hears the word will receive it and accept it. Not even everyone who claims to be a Christian accepts Christ. I know that's hard to believe. When taking instruction or receiving guidance from someone who does sit in a place of Christian authority, listen. Listen to whether they testify that Jesus is Lord or not. Discern whether their zeal is based on real knowledge of Christ or if there zeal comes from someplace else. It may be that their zeal comes purely from the fact that they feel they have been elevated to some high seat in the church or because they get to do "good works" for the world around them to see. There zeal could come purely from their own ego.

Maybe you noticed and wondered why I put "religious" in quote marks above. This word is used in many ways today. Often, I hear it used in a derogatory sense pertaining to all who would profess Jesus as Savior. Spiritual tends to be applied to those who do not know Jesus but have made contact with their inner selves. That is often presented as the preferable way to go. I believe the opposite is true. It appears to me that those who profess to be spiritual are actually "religious" as they tend to have all kinds of rules as to how to conduct ones life (a certain, personal, morality to keep some sort of balance in life) and those who profess Jesus as Lord are spiritual as they live with zeal in the knowledge that Jesus is Lord. They follow Him and not personal ego-made rules to live by.

Beware! Not everyone who would be self-described as Christian is Christian. Some are indeed "religious;" teaching things not found in scripture and denying things that would open hearts to the message of Jesus; denying the very truth that would save us.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Mark 7 - Judgments

Sometimes, judgments are made about others. They do this or they do that thing which they ought not do. Sometimes, we judge others by what they neglect to do; like the washing of the hands before they eat. Jesus makes it pretty clear that we often misunderstand the law.

We often judge others by our own misunderstanding of who or maybe what someone is. (Just maybe they are a child of God - you think?) Jesus makes it pretty clear that he discerns things in a way most of us do not. The religious leaders all thought he should be about them, about the temple and about the law. But, here we have Jesus serving pagan gentiles! Oh, my! He exorcises the Syrophoenician woman's daughter and heals the deaf man from Decapolis.

The religious leaders come to judge him; while the gentiles come, in faith, to be delivered from their infirmities. What a loss those religious leaders suffered by not being as open to accepting Jesus as he was in accepting others.

May God grant that we would, rather than question the faith of others, treat them as Jesus would.

God's Peace - Pr. J