Dominican
Bay in Boca Chica on the Caribbean Sea is not Punta-Cana upscale but a relaxed
resort for the people. The staff is all Dominican and sweet. While my husband
was putting down all his compliments for an exit survey for this gracious and hard-working
staff, I wondered if Spaniards owned this hotel like they did Barcelo Capella,
where we used to go before it closed. So, I asked guest services. The answer?
It was owned by Israelis! Who could have guessed? That reminds me that my
mother, born and reared in Puerto Rico, when young used to work for her father,
my grandfather, in a business that sold metals and large burlap bags. At one
point the business grew so much that she extended it to neighboring Dominican
Republic, and that is how she met my father, who worked for the Curacao Trading
company in Santo Domingo.
Businesses
can be international. That is the group to which James addresses his letter in
chapter 4: “The ones saying: ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a
city and we will be active there a year and we will carry on business and we
will make a profit’” (4:13). James speaks to the world-traveling person, “one
on a journey, whether by sea or by land,” someone trading, buying, and selling
some kind of product, a merchant, not so much the local retailer.[1]
In
the first century, such merchants might trade gold, silver, jewels, pearls,
fine linen, purple garments, silk, scarlet robes, scented and costly wood,
ivory, bronze, iron, marble, cinnamon and other spices, incense, myrrh,
frankincense, wine, olive oil, flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots,
and slaves (Rev. 18:3, 11-13, 15-17). Tyre, renowned for trade, would sell
gold, iron, tin, lead, mules, ebony, turquoise, coral, rubies, elephants’
teeth, honey, wool, cane, camels, and lambs (Ezek. 27:3, 12-24).
As
I perused the free newspaper that we received every day, el Diario Libre,
I discovered the many commodities that merchants traded now in the Dominican
Republic: fruits and vegetables, such as bananas, avocados, mangos, potatoes,
pineapples, tomatoes, yucas, and sugar, fish, tobacco, organic chocolate, and
even electricity. Marble is still a major commodity. Merchants also prepare and
sell entertainment sites for tourists, such as hotels and beaches, and now they
sell internet services, such as Netflix, Uber, Amazon, UPS, and FedEx. Banks
and presidents of countries and companies and even the Mafia serve as
international merchants.[2]
They are all interested in a profit.
What
does James advise such world traveling business entities? “You do not
understand what kind of tomorrow [will be] your life— for a mist you are, the
one for a little appearing, then also disappearing” (James 4:14).
What is
a mist (atmis)? A mist is a onetime appearance of minute globules of
water or simply a fine spray,[3] on
the earth’s surface, as opposed to a cloud (nephos),[4] a
visible collection of particles of water or ice suspended in the air, usually
high up above the earth’s surface. A mist is only “cloud-like.” In the Bible, atmis
refers to smoky vapor (Acts 2:19) or vapor from a furnace or pan[5] or
to the mist or smoke from incense[6] or
even to the haze before one’s eyes from tears (Hos. 13:3 LXX). Jesus son of
Sirach uses atmis to describe the “fiery vapors” that the sun sends
forth as bright beams (Ecclus. 43:4). It is the type of mist or vapor that
appears for a brief time, then no longer appears. Whether you are wealthy, or
you are poor, you are still a “mist.” What does this mean practically? We
humans are not going to live forever. After the flood, God appears to have set
a maximum age for humans of 120 years (Gen. 6:3; Deut. 34:7). According to
Moses, people can expect to live until 70 or 80 years of age (Ps. 90:10), if
ill health or persecution or an accident or war do not intervene. We may have
eternity in our hearts, but, because of a fallen world, our bodies live in a
world of mortality (Eccles. 3:11)
What
does James suggest that businesspersons should do? “Instead, you should say:
‘If the Lord might will, then we will live and we will do this or that’”
(4:15). Plans are a necessary part of life and profit is a necessary part of
business. James does not complain against all businesspeople who make future
plans to make a profit. There is nothing inherently wrong in planning for the
future or making a profit. Proverbs 6 directs people to plan ahead and to work:
“Go to the ant, you lazybones; consider its ways, and be wise… it prepares its
food in summer, and gathers its sustenance in harvest. How long will you lie
there, O lazybones? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little
folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and
want, like an armed warrior” (Prov. 6:6-11 NRSV). The capable wife described by
King Lemuel’s mother in Proverbs 31 is a merchant who brings her food from far
away. She buys fields and makes and sells fine linen.[7]
However, she is also trustworthy, kind, wise, and provides for the poor. Joseph
is blessed by God. At thirty years of age, he becomes the second in command in
Egypt and builds on God’s foretelling by accumulating and then selling
Pharaoh’s crops (Gen. 41:33-57). Jesus also uses a businessperson as a positive
model for those who seek the kingdom of God (Matt. 13:44-46). The slaves who
invest the five and two talents (a talent is equal to over $1000 or over
fifteen years of wages in that day) and thereby double the master’s money are
lauded by Jesus (Matt. 25:16-27). What is not lauded is “shameful profit”
(Titus 1:11).
However,
plans should be hypothetical because God is in control of our lives. Future
planning has several contingencies that cannot be ignored: what happens
tomorrow is unknown to ourselves, for we are temporal (4:14), and the Lord’s
will for us is not fully known (4:15). Not taking these contingencies seriously
results in arrogant boasting (4:16). Commentator Scot McKnight explains that
the merchants “think their time, the locations to which they can go, their
business activities, and their profits are all under their control.” Their sin
is “presumptuous planning and arrogant confidence that they can control life
and profits.”[8] These activities are part
of friendship with the world—wanting something and not having it and therefore
fighting for it by organizing one’s life to obtain it (4:1-3, 13).
We
expect our plans to happen, but we have some doubt. Our future plans should be
subsumed in a subjunctive attitude (“the Lord might will”), describing what is
likely to occur in an attitude of expectation or anticipation. The subjunctive
is a mood of doubt, hesitation, and hope.[9]
Under the umbrella of “if the Lord might will,” comes our future plans: “we
will live and we will do this or that” (4:15). What is the result? The readers
will be less arrogant and boastful about future accomplishments (4:16). One way
to humble oneself before the Lord (4:10) is to make tentative plans. Then we
trust the Lord to lift us up because we trust the Lord who is the good Parent
who gives every good gift (1:17). We commit our work to the Lord and our plans
can then be established by God (Prov. 16:3). Proverbs 16:9 explains: “the human
mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps” (NRSV). Placing one’s plans
under God’s will helps one receive the implanted word that has the power to
save. It pleases God. It helps one be a doer of the word and mature as a
Christian (James 1:21-22). On the other hand, once a businessperson understands
this good concept, not to do it is “sin” (4:17).
James
applies this principle to believers in business. However, the Apostle Paul used
similar wording in all his plans of travel. For instance, when the Ephesians
asked Paul to stay longer, he told them he would return “God willing” (Acts
18:21). He did return (Acts 19). Even when Paul wrote the Corinthians that he would
visit them, he clarified “if the Lord might will” (1 Cor. 4:19; 16:7). He did
make a quick trip to Corinth, but he did not make a second promised visit,
because, after deliberating, he concluded that the Lord did not want him to go
to Corinth at that time (2 Cor. 1:15-17; 2:1-4). Paul also told the Romans that
he hoped to visit them, “praying” “by God’s will to come” to them (Rom. 1:10).
He asks the Romans to pray too so that by God’s will, he might visit them (Rom.
15:32). He did visit them, but on his way to prison (Acts 28:14-16)! Then, Paul
told the Philippians that he hoped to leave prison in Rome and visit them “in
the Lord” (Phil. 2:24). By saying “if the Lord wills,” travelers and merchants[10]
are reminded, as are others to whom they communicate, that the Lord is
ultimately in control and that they want ultimately to please God more than to
make a profit in their work.
James
wants a fully integrated personality with a Christ-like worldview and
lifestyle. Such Christian worldviews are desperately needed today in
Christianity because, instead of desiring to please God, Christians who only
talk about faith but do not act on it serve their own desires and worldly
friendship. Many business entrepreneurs go into business only to achieve
financial security, not to thank and honor God.
For
example, John Henry Womack, who founded and was the president and CEO of three
businesses, first began his businesses as solely a means for him to provide for
his family. But later he realized God had a bigger plan for his companies: to
serve and build capability within communities, specifically, to develop the
economic opportunities for African American people. Every meeting was begun in
prayer, even in the board of directors, where participants were not all
Christian. Notwithstanding, in 1989-90 his business was rated as one of the top
one hundred African American owned and operated companies in the United States
by Black Enterprise Magazine.[11]
God
provides the resources to transform greedy and embattled business practices.
God’s grace responds to us when we draw near to God. Humans should not strive
to take God’s place in judgment and business (4:10-16). But whether recognized
or not, God is in control of life’s events and humans need to be humble if they
want to succeed in life.
[1] The
biblical material in this blog may be found also in A Commentary on James
by Aída Besançon Spencer (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2020), 234-39.
[2] E.g., Diario Libre: “Chocolate
orgánico dominicano recibe premio mundial,” 21 Jan. 2020, 10; Tania Molina, “Disputados
indagan uso de US$8 millones en ingenios,” 27 Jan. 2020, 8; “Diferentes usos de
la piedra caliza natural y procesada,” 27 Jan. 2020, 22; “Presidente ordena detener
proyecto hotelero zona parque,” 29 Jan. 2020, 4; Suhelis Tejero Puntes,
“Exportaciones de angulas se disparan en 2019 en medio de la fiebre por su
pesca,” 29 Jan. 2020, 16; Joaquín Caraballo, “Las exportaciones agropecuarias
crecen durante el 2019,” 31 Jan. 2020, 16; Alan Beattie, “Trump ha convertido
el dólar en un arma para engrandecer a EEUU,” 3 Feb. 2020, 26; “Inician
exportación de vegetales y frutas a Estados Unidos,” 3 Feb. 2020, 26; David
Pilling, “EEUU y Kenia iniciarán conversaciones sobre acuerdo comercial ‘modelo’
para África,” 4 Feb. 2020, 16; Joaquín Caraballo, “El turismo dominicano generó
más de US$7,689 millones en 2019,” 4 Feb. 2020, 14; Narciso Pérez, “Aportes del
tabaco en 2019 superaron los US$934 millones,” 7 Feb. 2020, 16; “Lanzan
servicio de energía renovable,” 10 Feb. 2020, 17; “Inversionistas sector
eléctrico se reúnen con Valdez Albizu,” 10 Feb. 2020, 19.
[3] Webster’s
Unabridged Dictionary1987, 390, 1231.
[4] Joseph
Henry Thayer, Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Marshallton,
DL: National foundation for Christian Education, 1885), 83, 424.
[5] Gen.
19:28; Sir. 22:24; 38:28; 2 Macc. 7:5.
[6] Lev.
16:13; Ezek. 8:11; Sir. 24:15.
[7] Prov.
31:11-14, 16, 18, 20, 24, 26, 31.
[8] Scot McKnight,
The Letter of James, NICNT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2011), 377.
[9] A. T. Robertson,
A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research
(Nashville: Broadman, 1934), 927-78.
[10] See
also Heb. 6:3.
[11] Aída
Besançon Spencer, “Toppling the Silent Idol: Assessing Greed as Part of an
Idolatrous Meta-System and Promoting Holiness as an Antidote to Greed,” Africanus
Journal 7:2 (Nov. 2015): 45-46; John Henry Womack, Sharecropper to
Entrepreneur to Pastor: Looking Back and Giving Thanks (Eugene, OR:
Resource Publications, 2016), ch. 6.
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