Talking too much, judging others, boasting: all these things are a sign of pride, having a wring exalted view of ourselves. James now turns to a further symptom of this pride: boasting about tomorrow. Talking about the plans we have to make money here, make money there. "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow!"
We need to recognise our true state. Think about it. We had no say whatsoever in when or even if we we would be born. We did not choose our parents. Moreover, our parents did not choose us. They may have chosen to have a child, but did not know what it would turn out like! One day we will die, and we have little choice in that either.
Think of the current financial crisis. Men had such big plans to make money, but look where it has got them (and where it has got us!). Bankers still seem to get paid astronomical amounts. We are told we need talented people to manage the financial system. Well recent events seem to show that they did not have a clue, and do not have a clue. They are not the gods they claim to be.
My little rant is over, but there is a crucial point here. Man tries to live as if he can have total control over things. This is simply not the case. We need to live as if God has total control over things. We then live our lives in humble obedience to Him. The paradox is that when we do this we will find that things go far better and we actually have more control than we had before.
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