James 3:13-18
"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness."
This verse made me think about what wisdom I have, or claim, and what wisdom I am seeking. I found it proposed many questians of me, and studying those questians helped me better understand what true wisdom is.
How wise am I? What do my deeds reveal? Are they done "in the humility that comes from wisdom"?
"But if you harbor bitter envy, or selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such 'wisdom' does not come from heaven but is eartly, unspiritual, of the devil".
Am I harboring any bitter envy? Selfish ambition? These things are "earthly, unspiritual, of the devil." How much would I rather trade this "wisdom", the world's wisdom, for wisdom come from heaven!
How can we gain this wisdom from heaven?
"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all....
- Pure, then
- Peace-loving
- Considerate
- Submissive
- Full of mercy and good fruit
- Impartial
- Sincere
...Peace makers whos sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness."
How can I be more pure?
- Dwell on God's word, keep his truth in my mind all the time
- Keep Christ Jesus and the cross in full view of my gaze, never lose sight of Him!
- Find my joy in God, delight in Him! Don't find my joy elsewhere, turn to him.
- Worship God all through the day, to stay near to Him
- Give thanks!
- "Above all else, gaurd your heart, for it is the wellspring of life".
How can I be more peace-loving?
- Do not fight for my own way, I have the promises of God, I don't need to win petty arguments!
- Be sharp-minded and alert, but always remember to be "quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry" (James 1:19)
How can I be more considerate?
- Forget about my own wants, needs and pains
- Be constantly looking out for another's inconveniences, and how I may cheer or relieve them
- Keep my mouth shut if I have something unpleasant to say! Do my words discourage and bring people down, or life them up?
- Show loving, random acts of kindness
- Be slow to show my annoyance a person may cause me.
- Over look insults, rudeness, and annoyance- smile back, and love on!
- "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain concet, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Phillipians 2:3-4)
How can I be more submissive?
- Trust God with my future
- Lay aside my own ambitions for any plan God has different
- Do not argue when asked to do something
- Do not show annoyance when a command is incovenience
- Work with joy!
- Be ready to serve
- Be willing to serve
- Be excited to serve!
How can I be full of mercy and good fruit?
- Study God's word, the life of My Savior, and do my best to immitate His loving, sacrificing, merciful life.
- "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
How can I be impartial?
- Love the lovely and the unlovely
- Give love on no conditions, let it be unconditional, just like Christ's love
How can I be more sincere?
- Pray, pray, pray! Ask God for a sincere heart
- Be true to your word, reliable and worthy
- Don't be just talk!
- Believe in what you say
- Cry when things are sad, be angry at injustice, ask a questian when you don't understand, toughen you senew when things get tough- don't just be all smiles and things are bad.
"But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetthing what he has heard, but doing it- he will be blessed in what he does."
