For listen! 

Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven's Armies.

James 5:4 NLT

James is able to draw a direct line from his readers who were landowners, business owners, and the people who worked for them who were being used and not sharing in the rewards of their work.

For many of us we live in countries with labour laws that at least help avoid the worst of the exploitation of others (In the US CEO's of major companies are paid 300-500 x the typical employee, in NZ it's 30-50 x the average wage - what is an OK number?).

For us, the exploited are more likely to work in factories and offices in other countries, hidden away from our sight. 

And yet in our modern world there is no hiding if we really want to know. 

I think James would encourage us to find out where the goods and services we consume come from, are workers being paid fairly, are the coffee growers being paid fairly for the coffee I'm drinking this morning?

Our God hears the cries of those treated unjustly in any field, any place, any circumstance. James invites us to be part of the response, not just to wait on the new heavens and the new earth, but to act where we can, to choose where we can, to stand with our brothers and sisters where we can, no matter how small that might seem today.

#james

#solidarity