[aron]

There are two rich men portrayed in the gospels. One refuses to aid the beggar laying at his gate. That rich man ends in torment in Hades. Another rich man told Jesus, "See, the half of what I own, I give away to the poor" and Jesus replied that the kingdom had come to his domicile.

Now, who among us is rich? I hardly qualify. But each one has something. It could be time, attention, prayer, a kind word, or some thoughtful gesture. Holding a door for an older person, smiling and saying "Good day".

I love the story of the bread and fish. The disciples were troubled at their poverty, their lack. "What are these, among so many?" ~John 6:9 But Jesus had the people sit down in orderly groups, and blessed and thanked the Father, and broke the bread, and gave it away. Now, what do you suppose the one who got the bread did? Sat down and started "masticating God" selfishly? No, he broke it and gave it away. Every good gift needs to be broken (spiritually) and passed out to the ones around. If you have bread, and your neighbour is empty, you are the rich man. What will you do? That is what "God's economy" asks. Do you really love your neighbour as yourself, or is it just lip service?

Seen in this light, James 2:16 doesn't look like the "low gospel" at all, but rather "the high peak of the divine revelation" and "the central lane of God's New Testament economy", to use LC terms.