Out of Order
Out of Order
Wisdom from Above Part 3
You've seen the sign on the bathroom stall door, or the ATM, or your favorite pinball machine: OUT OF ORDER. It tells you that something inside there is not right, not working properly, dysfunctional, even broken.
Have you ever had a day when you've felt like you needed an OUT OF ORDER sign taped to your forehead?
Life can seem off, or your inner self can just feel subtly disturbed. Other times, it might feel like the crashing waves of a monsoon at sea, but you carry a smile as best you can so others can't see. James' teaching on wisdom in 3:13-18 is a great place to begin diagnosing disturbance and work toward peace.
The past three weeks we've looked at verses 13-15. Today we're looking at the contrast between verses 16-17.
“16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.”
Disorder is the functioning word in these verses. The apostle Paul dedicated much of his writing to establishing order and right practices, especially in the Corinthian church. Disorder here means particularly an opposition against authority. Which makes sense in light of jealousy (coveting something belonging to another) and self ambition (the pursuit of what one believes out to be their own). When self is perceived to be the ultimate authority in one's life, his or her actions, however vile, are self-evaluated. Scripture makes clear that a trust in or focus on promoting one's self-sovereign authority leads only to death (see Genesis 3).
But, wisdom from above removes self as authoritative and directs the follower of Jesus to God as one's first authority. I'll comment on a few key words in its description. It is pure; no tension between God and other allegiances or authorities in one's life. It is open to reason, this is to be understood as willingly obedient to the one in authority, trusting that he is doing what is reasonable for his glory and ultimately for your good. By calibrating one's heart on the sole authority of God in one's life, wisdom calibrates the heart. No favoritism and non-judgemental, it fills one's life with good fruit to give others. Sincerity becomes the result of a heart at peace, joyfully operating in submission to God's wise Word, resting in his Spirit of peace.
This is a wonderful person to be around! They trust in God who is bringing the chaos of their hearts into his order. That is true peace. After all, he is not a God of confusion (disorder), but of peace (1 Cor. 14:33). May his work in you reflect his peace.
Praying for your peace this week as you seek the Lord's wisdom.
To God be the glory,
Loren