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You don’t have to look very far to see it....

  • People with money and influence bending the rules.
  • Those with power protecting themselves.
  • Those without a voice getting pushed aside.

We think to ourselves, “That’s not right.”

And then the deeper question comes:

  • Does anyone actually see this?
  • Does God care when people are treated this way?

The Bible does not ignore those questions. It speaks directly into them.

The Kind of Injustice We Recognize

In the book of James, we find a picture that feels surprisingly current.

Workers have done their job. They’ve labored all day, expecting to be paid so they can provide for their families. But the wages are withheld.  They had no real way to fight back or power to respond. However, the wealthy carry on as if nothing is wrong.

It may sound ancient, but it isn’t hard to see modern parallels. We hear about migrant workers being underpaid or paid late because they lack leverage. We don't want to admit it, but human trafficking has become a real issue in many communities around our nation.  Globally, entire systems operate where those doing the work barely survive while others profit.

When those responsible are not held to account, that sense of injustice feels real.

But throughout Scripture, God has always condemned exploiting the poor and profiting from their need.

James writes: “The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts” (James 5:4)

God is not distant, indifferent, or unaware. He hears what others ignore and sees what others overlook. Nothing escapes His attention!

But James doesn’t just point out injustice in the world. He presses the issue deeper. Because the same heart that leads to obvious injustice can also show up in quieter ways in our own lives.

Not many of us are withholding wages or exploiting workers. But we can still live as if what we have is ours alone, using it for ourselves without much thought for God or others.

And that’s where this passage speaks more directly to us.  

What Wealth Really Reveals

We tend to think of wealth as a big number. But Scripture frames it differently. It's more about how our heart than our bank account.  Everything we have (our money, our time, our abilities, etc) has been entrusted to us.  We are not owners, we are stewards.

And that leads to an important concept: What you do with what you have reveals who you trust.

A Different Way to Live

Instead of gripping possessions tightly, we can learn to live with open hands when we recognize that everything we have is “on loan” by God for a purpose.

  • So when a need comes into view, we don’t automatically look away.
  • When decisions are made, we don’t ask only what we want, but what is right.
  • When we think about the future, we do so with humility, not control.

Because underneath all of this is something deeper than money.  It’s the desire for security.  We want to know we’ll be okay and our loved ones will be taken care of.  But money was never meant to provide that assurance.

The Bible says: “Though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor” (2 Corinthians 8:9) Jesus gave Himself fully so that we could be made right with God.

When it comes to what you have, what are you really trusting?

Because what you do with what you have will always reveal the answer.