James 5:4-5 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. (5) Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.

In James’ time, there was no middle class, as we know it. People were either filthy rich or dirt poor. There was nothing in between. The rich often abused and took advantage of the poor. The rich were known for their abuse of the poor and the crooked ways in which they accumulated their wealth. Still, the fact remains: the rich simply fail to trust in the Lord. They trust in their own ability to manupilate, steal and abuse to gain their wealth.

Proverbs 18:11The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit

Proverbs 18:11 shows us that the rich man’s wealth become the seed of his conceit. He has no need of anyone else.

Proverbs 28:11The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.

There is another contrast between the rich and the poor. The rich is wise in his own eyes. He believes he has accumulated wealth which will endure. His wealth will be destroyed. In contrast, the poor places his trust in the Lord. This is the beginning of true wisdom.