Today's verse in class was James 3:17 - "But the wisdom that comes from Heaven is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds." At first look this seems to be only a descriptor, but then we realize how this list can be used.
Certainly, it is a descriptor. This is what wisdom from God looks like. It is pure, there is nothing "bad" involved with it. It is something that works to end arguments, not to start them. This wisdom is gentle, never aggressive or "in your face." It has a willingness to yield, to give precedence to others. It has mercy, giving forgiveness and aid where it is not deserved. It leads to good deeds, to making the world a better place rather than making it worse. And these are all good things!
So, how do we use this? By using it to test our own "wisdom." When we are pondering doing something, we can compare the results of using our wisdom with that illustrated in this list. If it will cause arguments, will involve sin, and so on, then it is not from Heaven (and we shouldn't be doing it!). This provides us a way to weigh our thoughts and see if they match up with God's will. This is a blessing from God, to give us a way to evaluate what we are doing in light of what He wants us to do.
I would suggest that this is a verse worth memorizing, or at least keeping in mind. You'll never know when you'll need to check on your ideas!
Love,
Dad
No comments:
Post a Comment