But 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.” vs. 17
James 3:13-4:3
In recent years we’ve seen an avalanche of purported wisdom poured out on social media and every kind of journalistic platform. Almost all of it is carefully designed to fuel our passions and promote discord and dissension on every level. It’s infected neighborhoods, schools, and even our churches–and we’ve actually gotten used to it! We’ve become accustomed to anger on the faces of our leaders and vitriol in their tones. All around us people are full of rage and rancor–and it doesn’t have to be like this. Consider the vision James had for life in community! Oh, how wonderful it is when his words become the model for our life together! This is how life is meant to be experienced! This is how followers of Jesus are called to live! True wisdom doesn’t come from the dark web or obscure internet blogs–it comes from above and is marked by purity, peace, and gentleness. The truly wise person will always be willing to compromise, full of mercy and good works, and totally lacking in partiality or hypocrisy. Some might say this is a pipe dream, that humans will never behave in such a way. But others know better. They are blessed by encounters with such persons on a daily basis and bask in those loving connections. They even dare to dream that someday this is how all people will live together!
Thought for the Day: Where do we learn wisdom?
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