Read James 5:1–6
Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that
is coming upon you. James 5:1

A magazine advertisement told of the shopping spree of an oil-rich sultan.

He purchased nineteen Cadillacs, one for each of his wives, and paid extra to have the cars lengthened. He also bought two Porsches, six Mercedes, a $40,000 speedboat, and a truck for hauling it. Add to the list sixteen refrigerators, $47,000 worth of women’s luggage, two Florida grapefruit trees, two reclining chairs, and one slot machine. His total bill was $1,500,000, and he had to pay another $194,500 to have everything
delivered.

All of us are grateful for the good things of life, and we would certainly
not want to return to primitive conditions. But there is a point of
diminishing returns. “Tell me what thou dost need,” said the Quaker to his
neighbor, “and I will tell thee how to get along without it.” The rich men
James addressed were feeding themselves on their riches and starving to death. The Greek word describes cattle being fattened for the slaughter.

Luxury has a way of ruining character. It is a form of self-indulgence. If
we match character with wealth, we can produce much good, but if we
match self-indulgence with wealth, the result is sin.

Something to Ponder
In what ways do you struggle with self-indulgence?