I’ve had more money nightmares than any other type.
A few days ago, I woke up sweating again — not fun.
I tucked myself into the smallest room and started my morning prayers. I was just listening to the silence. But then I heard a voice in my head.
I couldn’t hear what it was saying, so I said, “OK God, if that’s you, please speak in a big booming voice like in the movies. Right now I don't know if it’s just me talking to myself”.
The voice got louder and deeper. It said “JAMES.”
I was very sleepy, so I figured God had forgotten my name. "Silly God. I'm Noah, not James.”
I kept praying silently for a few more minutes before realizing there was a book of the Bible called James.
Not my finest moment.
So I finally open the book of James, and what I find blows my mind.
“My brothers and sisters, whenever you face various trials, consider it all joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance complete its work, so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4)
That’s the perspective shift I needed. My nightmares are overwhelming me, and here's a recipe for joy.
What about that delicious promise? “lacking in nothing." Sounds nice.
But when James focuses on money, I realize my perspectives on “lacking in nothing” are wrong.
“the rich will disappear like a flower in the field” (James 1:9)
“in the midst of a busy life, the rich will wither away” (James 1:11)
For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here in a good place, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit by my footstool,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (James 2:2-4)
That last one really messed me up. Do you know how many times I’ve had front seats reserved for some “platinum ultra VIP” ultra sponsor at an event? Too many to count. That isn’t love - it’s exclusivity.
Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? (James 2:5)
Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into the courts? (James 2:6)
You get it. James is brutal.
None of this is driven by love.
When we prioritize wealth, we lose sight of what truly matters. That's what James emphasizes when he warns the rich to weep over their miseries. Money is dangerous. It can seduce, enslave, and destroy us.
This is what I needed. The raw truth. No clichés.
I have nightmares about wealth because I feel insecure. But money won't ease my insecurities. Wealth is antithetical to true spiritual security.
The letter challenges my assumptions about wealth, showing how my handling of money reflects my soul.
It is short but impactful. James warns the rich about oppressing the poor, emphasizing that wealth fades and cannot provide security (James 5:1-6; 1:10-11). He cautions that it can lead to straying from faith, prioritizing worldly pursuits over spiritual matters (James 4:13-17), and highlights the transient nature of material possessions.
Riches are a mirage. They promise security and happiness, but eventually, they fade like a flower in the scorching sun. Material wealth is a flimsy foundation for life.
It’s the security of wealth itself, the safety I desire, that ends up being the downfall.
Poverty is a virtue. Wealth is a vice. And the desire for that is so ingrained in our culture that it feels as natural as breathing.
It's a tempting lure leading us away from the divine.
Generosity is the antidote to a poisonous mindset. By giving, we reorient our priorities, break the grip of greed, and align our hearts with God's. True joy comes from sharing our wealth with others.
James is clear - giving money leads to true riches. Sharing openly and providing for the needy aligns our hearts with God's, freeing us from greed and allowing us to experience joy and contentment centered on the Divine.
When you share, you participate in the divine dance of grace that weaves us together in compassion. Simplicity, humility, detachment, and a focus away from self-will are what James demands.
We must seek poverty. The desire for wealth sneaks up on us and ensnares us.
Choosing contentment is like swimming upstream in a culture that promotes "more, more, more." When we make Him our ultimate treasure, everything else becomes secondary. Our possessions are no longer ours - we’re stewarding them to serve others.
This is more than “be a good person and give to charity”. James requires a fundamental reorientation of our relationship with ownership. They are no longer our belongings - they are the property of the divine.
James wants us to cultivate humility and submission, allowing God to shape our wants and needs into perfect will.
This is the path mystics and saints across religions have followed for centuries.
They understood that an abundant life isn't found in material wealth but in God's grace. They discovered a freedom that money could never buy by embracing simplicity and detachment.
Enlightened beings go to a cave, not Neiman Marcus. There’s a reason.
So are we willing to surrender it all for a deeper spiritual life?
Can you get the radical joy of non-possession?
Can you truly treat everyone the same way, despite of their differences in status?
Imagine if we saw each other as love and spirit. We would be enough because we ARE enough.
This is a liberation message. Letting go of material things opens you up to God's abundance. Releasing ownership brings joy beyond circumstance and makes you a conduit of blessing to a needy world.
The Book of James challenges us to embrace a new way of relating to money and possessions rooted in God's love. Allowing these teachings to shape our lives, we embark on a journey of spiritual growth.
By reflecting on our relationship with money and seeking guidance from these teachings, we can move towards a more fulfilling spiritual life marked by freedom.
And hopefully, freedom means fewer nightmares.
Just a reminder, I switched up the content on this email newsletter last week, it’ll be less about fundraising and more about religious explorations. If you’re not interested, please unsubscribe, it won’t hurt my feelings.