Devotion

Theme: Are You Wise? 

Text: James 3:13-18

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Education that does not produce the value and essence it should give is useless. All it births in individuals is literacy skills. Whitehead classify such individuals as uneducated literates. Today's thirteenth verse asked who is wise and of understanding? Let him show it in wisdom. If you acquire all the knowledge of this age yet you fear not the Lord, then you're not wise (Proverbs 1:7). Your relationship with the Father establish a character in you. The calmness of Christ is evident in your conduct. Freely you forgive and settle misunderstandings before they degenerate into the unpleasant.

However, if you're cynical and mean towards others, the nature of Christ can't manifest in your life. The truth is, wisdom comes from God and He gives it liberally to anyone He wills to (James 1:5). Pride is not of God. It is an earthly or carnal reasoning. The fifteenth verse says, it is earthly, sensual and demonic. Yes, that's true for that's the nature of Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12-15). Lucifer's form and nature is full of evil and confusion.

Praise be to God that, the wisdom He gives demarcates it all. For the wisdom of God is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and hypocrisy. Indeed the Lord purely loved us while we were still sinners. Jesus came to give us peace from our struggles and His mercies towards us are renewed every morning (Romans 5:8; John 14:27;  Lamentation 3:22-23).

Dear beloved, you can't offer what you don't have. Wisdom brings about righteousness and it springs up to bear the fruit of peace. Ask yourself, "Are you wise?" What role have you played in your family, community, nation and the world at large to show forth your wisdom?  Fear God and obey His commandment.

Prayer: Fill me with Your wisdom Lord, that in deeds and in words Your glory will I show forth even now and forevermore in Jesus name. AMEN!