Rusted Gold

“Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.” –James 5:2-3

You might have to worry about a cheap ring turning your finger green. You might even have to worry about white gold turning yellow. But you should never have to worry about one thing: gold should never rust. Some people think that since James was most likely poor, he just didn’t know better, as the literal word here is not corroded, but rather is rusted. But I don’t think that is the case.

James introduces a section of Scripture that speaks about the ‘last days,’ which generally in Scripture is not speaking of an immediate coming of Christ, but rather an eminent return, meaning it could happen at any moment. It may not be for 1,000 years, or it could be before you finish reading this sentence. But yet James does not say that moths will eat your clothes and that the gold will rust. He says it is already happening.

I believe that James is warning us that even though our gold might not rust now, it really is rusting. In other words, it is becoming less and less satisfying every day, or they are corrupting us more and more every day.

Have you noticed how money changes people? Have you seen people get corrupted by putting too much trust in their stuff? It doesn’t take being rich—it can happen even with middle class and poor people. It could happen to you.

Gold may not rust, but it sure can corrode our hearts. How much are you trusting in wealth and stuff instead of God?