what did the rich ever do to you?

James 1:9-15

I wonder what the rich did to deserve these scathing words from James. They must have been the driving force behind the persecution or something. James certainly pulls no punches: "Hey rich people! Take pride in your humiliation - you're going to fade away like a wild flower." That doesn't sound very nice at all. At first I'm kind of cheering James on but when I stop and think about it, I realize that I am one of the rich. I don't remember the specific numbers but it goes something like this: if you have a car, a telephone and equipment for a hobby (game system, hockey equipment, etc.) you are in the top 10% of rich people. Now James is talking to me! I must make sure that I have my security in something besides my possessions and money.
James' letter reads like a bunch of strung together sayings - sort of like Proverbs for the New Testament Church. This saying is telling those who are facing persecution to persevere because the pain of this life is nothing compared to the rewards waiting in heaven. I think our tendency is to apply this to our petty, wimpy temptations (ok, I don't want to downplay the power of temptations and the awful way our failures make us feel. But compared to the pastor in North Korea who is being executed, my "trial" of being tempted to watch something I shouldn't on tv in the comfort of my living room while eating popcorn, completely sheltered from the cold wind, is pretty wimpy!) but James is talking specifically about persecution, not temptations. It makes me wonder if we're going to miss out on the crown of life because we are not willing to pay any price to follow Jesus. I don't think ducking our head and hiding our faith is equal to persevering under trial.
James does talk about temptations next - he tells us that we shouldn't blame God for our temptations. We are tempted because we have sinful desire for that thing. If I didn't like Zesty Cheese Doritoes, then I wouldn't be tempted to eat them. The same goes for pornography - it wouldn't be a temptation if I didn't like it. James is telling us to stop making excuses and stop blaming others for our sin and for our temptations - face the truth that it is your fault that you are tempted in the first place because you have cultivated a desire for that thing. He doesn't really offer any solutions but perhaps the implied solution is that we need our desires changed and the only one who can do that is God.