James 5:1 KJV
[1] “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.”
James is not condemning men for being rich. There have been a lot of rich men used in the work of God. Riches in themselves are not sinful, but men allow riches to corrupt them. Being wealthy can cause men to feel self-sufficient. It can also build pride in a man’s heart and make him feel as if he is better than others. Riches can also cause men to be cruel to others, as we have seen in history, paying the poor less to make themselves richer.
The warning is that riches never bring true happiness or real peace, but they can bring misery in life and tears of sorrow. As you read this devotional, there are rich men behind bars who once had everything but still desired more. The desire for more riches compelled them to commit a crime that stripped them of everything and drove them from society, proving that being rich does not give men liberty but can bring them into bondage.
There are rich men living in extravagant homes and driving fancy automobiles, but they have no one with whom to share it. Riches have separated them from their loved ones. They may win the legal battle and gain the family inheritance from their siblings but lose their loved ones for the rest of their lives. Riches brought them nothing but misery.
Tears flow from the rich just as they do from the poor. Rich men cry the same as the poorest of men. Riches cannot dry the tear ducts, but Jesus can! There are riches that money cannot buy. Salvation is a free gift for all men, no matter their financial standing. Riches will surely fail, but Jesus never fails!