James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a (NRSV)
Read James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a on biblegateway.com
Verse 13Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. Verse 14But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Verse 15Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. Verse 16For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. Verse 17But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. Verse 18And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
Chapter 4Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? Verse 2You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. Verse 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures. Verse 7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Verse 8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Devotion
What does it mean to be wise? I have a friend in Oregon whose daughter aced the SATs; she answered every question correctly! My friend and his wife now have a mantra: “She is smarter; we are wiser!”
In the Old Testament, wisdom is primarily the ability to make right, God-honoring, life-producing decisions. In ancient times, wisdom was not about intelligence or the gathering of information. Wisdom was extremely practical. Wisdom was seen as the ability to discern what the noble, constructive, God-honoring course of action would be in real-life situations. That is wisdom and God’s people prized it!
The opposite of wisdom is not stupidity but rather folly or foolishness. Folly is rebellion against God and is reflected in moral depravity, spiritual blindness and social irresponsibility.
May we die to our rebellious ways and make decisions today that lead to life.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we hunger for wisdom. Today, with your help, we resign from all the follies that consume us. Lead us into wisdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.