Farming Righteousness

April 1

Read: James 3:13-18

Farming Righteousness

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” (v.17)

Wisdom always makes its way out into our works… what we say and do. As a result, it is observable to those people around you. This is why James begins with the question, “Who is wise among you?” (v.13) Because wisdom can indeed be observed… proved… worked out in plain view. This is true for “wisdom from above” as well as for “earthly, unspiritual, and demonic wisdom.” (v.15,17)

There are in fact two types of wisdom: a type that is from above and a type that is rooted in the demonic. It is a sobering thought to consider that one may be functioning under “demonic” patterns of thought and knowledge! These two ways of thinking are utterly opposed to one another… at war with one another. If you want to discern the root of the wisdom you are functioning under, you need only take inventory of your emotions and actions in this world.

Bitter jealousy and selfish ambition are the first two markers of “earthly, unspiritual, and demonic” wisdom. (v.14) I am often caught off-guard by how easy it is to become jealous… especially in this day and age when the ability to see and know about what others have and do!   We can try to dress it up or justify it in many ways… but good ‘old-fashioned jealousy is as strong as ever! I think jealousy is rooted in the idea of scarcity. It is rooted in the idea that there is not enough… that Jesus is not enough… or that God doesn’t control enough. We think that there is not enough to go around so we don’t want others to have things or experience things because we feel like that means we don’t get to. So humanity quarrels and fights with one another… robbing and stealing… even resorting to murder. (cf. James 4:2) Simply put, we want what others have because we don’t trust that God has anything good for us.

Jealousy and selfish ambition lead to “disorder and every vile practice.” (v.16) If your life is in disorder, it may be that you are functioning under the earthly wisdom of jealousy and selfish ambition. One key term to note here is “selfish”. The question could be framed, for whom are you ambitious? The Lord? Or yourself? Are you building the “Kingdom of God” or are you building the “empire of self”? Whatever way you slice it, selfish ambition and jealousy never stay “inside”… they always seep out in what we say and do.

Wisdom from above is worked out in meekness and in peace. (v.13,18) This is a jarring truth when we consider how much war we see around us… how much non-peace there is in the world. It becomes clear which wisdom is driving so much of the world’s policies and decisions. As the people of God, we are called to be “pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” (v.17) This is the outworking of Godly wisdom. So what sort of harvest are you planting for? What are you “reaping” right now in your life? Let the Lord lead you in farming righteousness… growing Christ-likeness. “A harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” In a day and age field by division, hatred, disorder, war, and vile practices - we are called to stand out. May the people of God truly be witnesses to the wisdom that is from above. Ask the Lord to set you free from the demonic wisdom of this world… surrendering jealousy and selfish ambition in exchange for meekness, peace, reason, mercy, good deeds, impartiality, and sincerity. Love you guys. - JDP