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 reap a harvest of righteousness.
At the end of my post yesterday I asked this question: “Why is it good to be able to discern who is wise among a group of believers?”
In James’ letter, he tells us about the dangers of the tongue and the importance of taming it. I agree, and I agree that I need to tame mine first. Yet where the tongue is not reined in, James warns that it can ignite a great forest fire. It can corrupt the whole body. If it can corrupt an individual’s body can it also corrupt the church body?
If we are to avoid the “disorder and every evil practice” that James warns against, we need to be able to discern between the worldly and the godly. And then…
And then what?
James gives us a list of helpful hints. And then…
- Be pure. I take that to mean before acting, examine our own motives. Strip away every shade of envy and selfish ambition.
- Love peace. Those that love peace want to encourage others to act in peace. I think they would also want to ensure that those who leave a trail of disorder not hurt others.
- Be considerate. As servants of the Living God, it is not our place to be rude or inconsiderate. Yet that does not mean we get to take a pass on confronting injustice.
- Be submissive. Does James mean that we are submissive to those who use the tongue to corrupt the body? No, of course not. We are to be submissive to our God and his will. We are also submissive to the authorities God has placed in our lives. Should we be concerned that those who speak from envy and selfish ambition might not submit? Wouldn’t a lack of submission be evidence of the very thing James is warning us about?
- Be full of mercy and good fruit. What a wonderful picture of God’s love! God is merciful and we should be as well. Where there is a repentant heart mercy abounds. Repentance itself is a very good fruit.
- Be impartial. James writes in chapter 2, verse 9, “But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.” He is talking about those who defer to the rich and look down on the poor. Don’t we do the same thing if we defer to the one who causes division and ignore the one who is seeking peace?
- Finally, be sincere. Sincerity is the sum of purity, loving peace, being considerate, submitting to God’s will, being merciful and full of God’s good fruit, and being impartial.
Is it important to be able to discern who is wise in the worldly sense and who is wise in the godly sense? I believe it is. It is true that we are not to judge another’s fitness for heaven. That is God’s province alone. Yet we are to judge rightly and wisely when it comes to discerning right from wrong.
Application: Let’s examine our own hearts and motives using the principles that James has given us.
Food for Thought: What is involved in being a “peacemaker?”
A desire for reconciliation between people and God and between people within the church body. It is never easy because we usually feel we are right and the other party we have disagreements with is completely in the wrong. A peacemaker plays a little bit of counselor, a little bit of referee, a lot of prayer warrior, a lot of patience, a lot of love, etc. And it is important to examine our own hearts as we desire to be a peacemaker. But Jesus did call peacemakers blessed.
Thank you, Rich! There is a lot to being a peacemaker! I pray that you are always blessed and successful in your efforts. 🙂