Blakeyblog

Sorry I’ve been MIA all week. I was given the opportunity to teach our Women’s Bible study group last night and this morning, filling in for someone who wasn’t able to teach. I had a short time to prepare so I spent as much time as I could studying which meant no time for blogging…

The passage was 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.

True wisdom is evidenced in godly living. Wisdom doesn’t just talk, making claims to know something, but in a quiet way by the pattern of life shows what it knows. Godly wisdom is hearing and doing the principles found in God’s Word.

James also gives a clear picture of worldly wisdom and how it’s driven by a heart of envy and selfishness, spurred on by the world, the flesh and ultimately the devil himself. This wisdom results in confusion and all kinds of evil. Then we get see the contrast of worldly wisdom with godly wisdom which comes from a pure and humble heart and is grown in a righteous life that results in peace.

I was challenged by this passage because worldly wisdom has a way of creeping into our lives under the guise reason, what makes sense or just something that we think, in our flesh, we should do. One huge example of worldly wisdom is the idea that “I have my rights.”

Worldly wisdom says we have a right to be happy, understood, loved, to a good marriage, respect or comfort. This world and our flesh would also counsel us not to let anything get in the way of that. So often I hear one woman telling another, “Good, job, way to stand up for yourself,” or “You need to put your foot down, you shouldn’t have to put up with that.” This idea of personal rights is ingrained in us and this is convicting for me because I see it in my own life even though I know that God’s wisdom is the opposite.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25

Worldly wisdom tells us to claim our rights, but Jesus tells us to yield our rights.

I was encouraged by this passage because I know where find godly wisdom, in Scripture. The key to making those principles a reality is simply by obedience. Obedience leads to peace and ultimately to eternal reward.