James was not one to over-think things.  He boils it down to, “Anyone who knows the good he or she ought to do and doesn’t do it, SINS.”  How’s that for being direct and to the point!  “Anyone who knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t, sins.”  It’s interesting that as soon as James says that, the very next thing James talks about is rich people.  There seems to be a connection in James’ mind.  Oh yes, I have the perfect example of people who know the good they should do but don’t!  Those rich oppressors in our midst!  James has some hard words for people who don’t treat others fairly, who hoard their money, and spend it on themselves, and keep for themselves what others deserve.

But James also offers some practical theology to people who are suffering because they don’t have enough money.  Things will not always be this way.  James wrote, “Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming.  Be patient and stand firm, for the Lord’s coming is near.  Don’t grumble against each other, or you will be judged.  The Judge is standing at the door!”

When I was growing up, one of my Sunday school teachers used M & M’s as an object lesson about wealth.  We were put into small groups and assigned a country.  Then, based on the average wealth of those countries, we were given M & M’s to represent how much money we would have each day to spend on food.  Those who were assigned to countries like Canada and the United States were given so many M & M’s, everyone in the group could have ten or more.  But those groups assigned to countries like Malawi and Congo might get one M & M.  Not one M & M per person in the group.  One M & M total, for the group members to share!  I can attest, it is not easy to divide an M & M!  I could suddenly see why James wrote to the people suffering from poverty, “Don’t grumble against one another.”  There was a lot of grumbling and complaining that day in Sunday school!

We all want life to be fair, especially if we are currently on the suffering end of the un-fair stick.  Just picturing having to share one M & M amongst three people, while watching other people have ten or twenty each gives us new appreciation for James’ words to the wealthy oppressors in his midst.  “Now listen you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you…You have hoarded wealth in the last days.  Look!  The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you.”  Being rich in and of itself isn’t bad–but the people James has in mind are using their wealth to exploit the poor.  They are not treating others fairly.  Plus, they are living in luxury while others go without.  James says, these people are fattening themselves on the day of slaughter–a very bold image, of cattle that spend the morning eating, oblivious that they are headed to the butcher shop in the afternoon.

Phil and I have a house in the Poconos, and sometimes driving on the northeast extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike we will see tractor trailers filled with pigs, with a Hatfield Meats sign on the cab of the truck.  They have a cute little logo that says, “Hatfield Meats:  Home of the Happy Porker!”  Well, the pigs might be happy while they’re still on the turnpike.  But it won’t be long until they are very unhappy porkers!  James is issuing a stern warning here.   He’s telling the wealthy people, you’re all fat and happy now, but one of these days, if you keep hoarding your money, if you keep exploiting others to earn more, you are going to be unhappy porkers!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think most of us hearing my words today fall into the ten or twenty M & M’s category—while we know darn well there are many in the world whose portion is miniscule in comparison.  Sometimes I hear people complain about churches, and about pastors, that all we ever talk about is money.  That is obviously an unfair generalization, because I also hear complaints that all pastors ever talk about is forgiveness, or racial justice, or human sexuality, or sin, or a host of other hot topics no one really wants to be challenged to think about!  I think it’s probably more accurate to say pastors don’t talk about money enough.  According to Preaching Today, an amazing one out of ten verses in the gospels are about money!  If we used that ratio for our sermons, that would mean we’d be hearing sermons about money at least five times a year.  Have you heard 15 sermons about money in the last three years?  Not if you’ve been listening to Lima sermons, you haven’t!

But I can see where the reaction that we talk about money all the time comes from.  Every week in worship, we lift up our “Mission of the Month”, which is an opportunity to do good through twelve different agencies and initiatives every year.  We used to “take” an offering every week in worship by passing the offering plates.  Now we “invite” people to the offering, and present people with an opportunity to give either in person by dropping their offering in our Joash Box, or online, or by mailing in a donation.  Several times a year we ask people to give for other worthy causes, such as to UMCOR if there’s a natural disaster.  It is true, we talk about money and giving and doing good an awful lot.

But is that really so awful?  Maybe it’s something to be proud of!  Personally, I love that we are so mission minded, we ask people every week to give to a special mission of the month.  Personally, I love that we are so invested in the work of the Lord, through Lima Church and beyond, that we invite people to give every week.  Personally, I am glad we are spontaneous enough to ask people to open their hearts and wallets when there is a special need.  Frankly, I can’t imagine wanting to be part of a church that never talks about money!  Because what I have experienced time and time again is, God rewards us when we give.  God rewards us with a sense of compassion and purpose in the world.  God rewards us with spiritual maturity.  God rewards us by boosting our faith.  God rewards us with a generous heart, which just as the Grinch who stole Christmas learned, is a lot more fun to have than a stingy heart.

This year at Lima, we entered into a partnership with an organization called Zoe Empowers.  “Zoe Empowers started as a relief mission responding to the 2004 HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa.  They funded feeding programs, medical services and other relief activities for orphaned children through schools, churches and government entities.  In 2007, Zoe Empowers missionaries were connected to a team of Rwandan social workers who introduced them to an unconventional response to the crisis of orphaned children in Rwanda. Instead of giving away resources, further propelling a cycle of dependency on adults, the Rwandan social workers were teaching orphans how to care for themselves and their siblings. And to everyone’s surprise, the results far exceeded expectations!

Within a year, the effectiveness of the Rwandan program so significantly outperformed Zoe’s relief efforts in other parts of Africa that Zoe abandoned all efforts at relief and completely adopted and embraced the Rwandan empowerment model. To date, Zoe Empowers has expanded to 7 countries — Kenya, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Rwanda, Liberia, Tanzania, and India—and has helped more than 100,000 vulnerable children overcome extreme poverty to achieve sustainable self-sufficiency across eight areas of life. The three year empowerment program requires less than $290 per child or only $8 per month, making it 5-20 times more economically efficient than traditional short-term relief efforts.”   [This information taken directly from the Zoe Empowers website, with minor edits.]

Here is a photo of our Zoe Empowerment Group.  These young people live in a rural area in Rwanda.  They have been orphaned or left vulnerable for a variety of reasons, including AIDS and Ebola.  Without support, they are outcasts in their community.  They have are vulnerable to exploitation and human trafficking.  They have no hope of a better life.

But with a small investment on our part, the oldest siblings of each family have been joined together to create a community of support.  They will be empowered to learn income generating skills, which will allow their younger siblings to stay in school.  They will learn about their rights, and protect each other from exploitation.  They will receive medical care, get help with housing, and be introduced to the love of Jesus.  The lives of 95 people will be forever changed because we shared our resources.  They are encouraged to dream about self-sufficiency, and given the support needed to achieve that dream.  The goal of Zoe Empowers is to give these orphaned children the tools they need to never need poverty again.  They have chosen a group name for themselves:  Lift One Another.  With their very first meetings, they knew, this group was going to make a huge difference for them.

So yeah, we talk about money a lot at church.  But you know why?  Because people matter to God, and people’s lives are changed when we give generously.  Even our general fund giving, that doesn’t just pay our electric bill.  A significant portion of that goes to support United Methodist ministries around the world.  Week after week, we have the opportunity to make a difference by sharing some of our M & M’s—our wealth—thus helping to relieve suffering of all kinds in the name of Jesus Christ.

When we decide to become givers, we become more like God, who loves us so much we were given God’s only Son, Jesus.  Giving is in our spiritual DNA! Giving is a family trait of ours!  And we are especially blessed when we give in such a way that enables other to become givers, too.  Jean Claude is a Zoe Empowers graduate in Rwanda.  He says, “My blessings are so great that I cannot keep them for myself. My carpentry business has grown into a training center for youth in my community. My identity is no longer one of poverty but it is now in God.”

James paints a dramatic picture.  Those of us who hoard our wealth, we are like pigs that will soon be turned into bacon and ham.  But that doesn’t have to be our story.  Right now, today, we have the opportunity to embrace the abundant and eternal life of Christ and claim our identity in God.  So don’t wait!  Do the good you know you should do.  If you are struggling financially, take heart.  Be patient, for the Lord is coming.  And if you have been blessed financially, take a look at your budget, and see how you can grow in generosity and giving.  Consider making a commitment to giving regularly to the work of the Lord through your church.  And keep your heart open to special ways God might be calling you to be generous.  You will be rewarded with a sense of purpose in the world, a greater connection to God’s family, spiritual maturity—and for sure, more joy!  Amen.