James 4 – 5

Verse 4:2 explores one of the Ten Commandments:

You crave something that you do not possess, so you murder to get it. You desire the things you cannot earn, so you sue others and fight for what you want. You do not have because you have chosen not to ask.

The terms covet versus desire often get confused in the world today. Why is that? The world has corrupted the meaning to make it seem like it is bad for those of faith to want cool stuff. No the difference is actually quite simple, desire causes us to work to obtain what we desire, covet on the other hand is wanting someone stuff. Think of it this way, Mick drives up in a Porsche, I look at and say cool. My desire causes me to work hard and earn money to buy one. My coveting says I want his Porsche and I will break many other commandments to obtain HIS Porsche, including lying, stealing or to an extreme a carjacking murder. Desire leads to work, covet leads to evil.

Verse 4:7 is encouraging:

So submit yourselves to the one true God and fight against the devil and his schemes. If you do, he will run away in failure. 

Enough said!! Verse 5:5 takes says rich people will rot:

Your life on the earth has been one of luxury, pleasure, and endless consumption; you have feasted to your hearts’ content on animals you slaughtered, but now the day of slaughter comes for you.

IT DOES NOT SAY THAT!! If you read it carefully, again it talks about those who are rich and take advantage of those who are poor. This single verse out of context implies the “day of slaughter” will come to those who are rich when in context is talking about those who cheat others for their own advantage.

Verse 5:9 is simple and actually part of  The Lord’s Prayer:

Brothers and sisters, don’t waste your breath complaining about one another. If you judge others, you will be judged yourself. Be very careful! You will face the one true Judge who is right outside the door. 

This is something we need to really take to heart. If you harbor bitterness towards another who has wronged you, expect the same in heaven from God. That is EXACTLY what this is saying. Don’t waste the negative energy holding grudges, just forgive it and forget. Otherwise you will be waking up late at night stressing about it with no peace. Personally I take this literal and God will forgive me the way I forgive others, so I try to just let things go and forgive, no matter what the other person does.

Verse 5:12 is important:

It is even more important, my brothers and sisters, that you remember not to make a vow by the heavens or the earth or by anything. When you say “yes,” it should always mean “yes,” and “no” should always mean “no.” If you can keep your word, you will avoid judgment.

Now those who know me know I fail at this often. It’s a combination of forgetfulness and trying to do too much. I think of Bo Diddley’s saying “don’t write a check your tail can’t cash” (may be attributed to Flip Wilson) and try to live it but fail every week, if not every day. Last night after dinner the girls left and asked I clean up, I said OK!! They came back and I started, cleaned a few dishes then got distracted on another project. In the end, I did what I said, but disappointed the girls. So understand people take your word serious, think of it this way God will honor his word to you as you honor yours to others. THAT WOULD TERRIFY ME!! Glad I have not found scriptural support for that one.

To dig through the reading and answer the question for today, yes it’s ok to want a Porsche as a Christian. Just don’t covet and take another’s property but earn it!! Also, don’t “earn” it while taking advantage of others. The other key is not to make the Porsche the IDOL and keep God center!