December 19

Go to, now, ye that say, today or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. - James 4:13-15.

“THEY that will be rich,” says the apostle, “fall into temptation and snares, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” There are some whose spirit and conduct seem to say they will be rich whether God wills it or not. How much we see of this in social life! Hear the language of James in this Scripture. Now, here we have an unsanctified tradesman: he must carry on business to advantage. He seems to have no desire to monopolize or to run down his rival. No; his aim seems only to get gain in a lawful way. And what harm is there in this? It is the “hand of the diligent that maketh rich.” And “he that provideth not for his own, especially those of his own house, hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” But perhaps it may be found that he is avaricious, that he is ambitious; and that it is not a mere subsistence he wants, but an abundance,-not a competency, but splendour; and he is carried away by the pride of life. In his endeavours to accomplish his wishes and aims he will compass sea and land, not perhaps reflecting upon the evils of a roving disposition, and without weighing well the remark of Solomon, “As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.”

This has been the case with many. But what is the great truth here? Why, that God is not present to his mind. He never sought him before or during his undertaking; he never prayed, with the Psalmist, “Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk;” “Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel;” or entreated God to choose his inheritance for him. And how should he expect the divine direction and blessing? These words’-I will do this and that-are too big for a mortal, regardless of Him upon whom every thing depends. He is to succeed, he is to live through another year, regardless of sickness and accidents, and of all those changes to which mortals are exposed. Alas! all such boasting: is vain.