James 5:13 ESV

         Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 

I watched the movie Amazing Grace yesterday for the first time. It is the story of William Wilberforce’s passionate work to end the slave trade in England. Slave conditions were horrendous. John Newton, author of the song Amazing Grace was a former slave trader. His influence on Wilberforce kept him going. The excuses for the slave trade were as horrendous as the conditions of the slaves. Arguments like the following were repeated until people believed them. “The entire economy of the country will fall apart if we stop slave trade.” “If we don’t do it someone else will.” “The slaves aren’t complaining. Many of them have a better life than the poor here in London.” The rich, the empowered, the privileged were amassing their wealth off the backs of slaves while treating them as less than animals. No one would treat an animal the way the slaves were treated. They were simply an endless, voiceless commodity trafficked out of Africa. It is easy to see in hindsight. It is easy to miss in the present. It is easy to buy into the very same arguments. But that does not justify wrong behavior.

The fact that the slave did not work to procure his/her freedom does not mean that no one else should. James called the privileged out. But he also challenged those who had no voice. What should their proper response be? “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord….be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (Jas 5:7-8 ESV). That is hard to do when you are being mistreated. He is not saying that it is wrong for a slave to attempt to procure his freedom. He is not saying that the underprivileged should not try to better themselves. He is saying that when you have no ability or capacity to change your conditions then you need to trust God. Everything will be set right in time.

The privileged, who enjoyed their wealth at the expense of the underprivileged, will one day howl and weep at their loss. The underprivileged, who trusted in God in the midst of pain and loss, will one day see God’s compassion and mercy. So, what is an appropriate response? “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise” (Jas 5:13 ESV). In pain and in privilege our hearts should turn to God.

Our hope must never be found in stuff, privilege, position, or power. Hope is found in Christ, and in Christ alone. Are you suffering? Pray. Are you enjoying privilege? Sing and praise. It is time to stop putting our hope in stuff and conditions, and refocus on our only real hope. Let Christ be your focus whatever your condition. You may be experiencing societal privilege or societal oppression. You may be experiencing pain or pleasure. You main be experiencing loss or gain, grief or joy. Whatever your condition, let Christ be your focus. He is our only real hope.