Tag: Peace

Peace-Loving Wisdom in a World Gone Mad

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for Life2 Comments 
“And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:18, ESV)

Our world is full of conflict. Employees look for ways to snub the competition. Politicians launch accusations and bitter invectives against one another. Nations launch missiles and shoot bullets at one another. Spouses tear each other down.

Just this morning I read a news article about a man who was arrested for shooting and killing his neighbor’s son for standing on his property while trimming a tree along the property line. The shooter’s wife said he only meant to scare the younger man. According to the reporter, this was the first altercation between these two men. Think of that. Probably, neither woke up that morning imagining this would transpire. How quickly tempers can flare and change the trajectory of life.

Rejecting God, Embracing Chaos

The Bible says that those who receive divine wisdom will have peace in their hearts and will pursue peace in the world. But to reject God’s wisdom and seek your own way leads to chaos.

“For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.” (James 3:16, ESV)

Disorder is a word that describes the world today. Violence and crime are pervasive. Mental illnesses are on the rise. Suicides have skyrocketed, particularly among young people. In fact, the suicide rate for the age range of 10-24 increased 52.2% from 2000 to 2021. Confusion over gender, sexuality, and marriage dominates our culture. Irreversible damage is being done to perfectly healthy bodies in the name of gender affirmation and tolerance. All of this proves the truth of rejecting divine wisdom: it leads to disorder and every vile practice.  

This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.” (James 3:15, ESV)

This is not merely an accumulation of bad human ideas. It is devoid of the Spirit of truth; it is “demonic.” This is essential to understand. When you read about a 52-year-old man who abandons his wife and seven kids so he can live as a six-year-old girl with an adoptive “mommy” and “daddy,” that’s not just looney—that’s demonic.[1]

What can be done about all this disorder and confusion? Why is peace so unattainable in our time?

I agree with Billy Graham: “You will never know the peace with God, peace of conscience, peace of mind, and peace of soul until you stand at the foot of the cross and identify yourself with Christ by faith . . . this is peace with God.”[2]

Wherever the wisdom of God is rejected “there will be disorder and every vile practice” (James 3:16). The word for “disorder” was used to describe a gambler who was swindled out of everything he owned and turned into a raging maniac. Paul uses the same word in 1 Corinthians 14:33, when he says, “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints” (KJV).

Madness. Confusion. Anger. When people choose the world’s wisdom over God’s wisdom, they end up spending their lives in futility and frustration. They continue to fool themselves into believing they know better than God, but the trail of misery behind them tells a different story.

The Purity of Heavenly Wisdom

After warning us about where worldly wisdom leads, the Bible tells about the purity of heavenly wisdom.

“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.” (James 3:17-18, NIV)

When James writes about “the wisdom that comes from heaven” in v. 17, he uses the present participle for “comes.” In other words, it’s not as though heavenly wisdom comes to us in one big moment, where we just download God’s wisdom on to our hard drive and we never have to look for it again. It’s more like a continually flowing spring that is always available to us, but is something we must continually seek.

“How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.” (Proverbs 16:16, ESV)

Seeking God’s wisdom is an endeavor that lasts a lifetime. We must continually come back to Him, seeking God’s wisdom for our life on a daily basis. And this is a beautiful reminder. The well of God’s wisdom will never run dry; there is always room to learn and grow.

What does heavenly wisdom look like? It is “peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit” (James 3:17). When the Christian’s life pursuit is no longer merely personal success but the glory of God, a supernatural power ignites. The Holy Spirit fills us with a passion for godliness, sinners repent of hidden sin, and believers begin to unite around a common goal that transcends each of them individually.

One film that powerfully captures this idea of unity around a common goal is Remember the Titans. The story is about a newly integrated high school in Virginia during the Civil Rights era. Initially, the coaches and players begin to divide and oppose one another because of their different skin color. But then Coach Herman Boone, played by Denzel Washington, takes the team on an early morning run to Gettysburg.

He points to all the graves marking where both Union and Confederate troops have died. Then Coach Boone says, “If we don’t come together, right now, on this hallowed ground, we too will be destroyed—just like they were. I don’t care if you like each other or not. But you will respect each other.”

“That They May Be One”

Unity is something that is hard won. But there is a difference between unity and union. Just because people are together in the same space doesn’t mean there is unity. There may be union, but not necessarily unity. For example, if you were to tie two cats together by their tails and throw them over a clothesline, you’d have union, but you would most certainly not have unity.

One of the devil’s most ambitious goals is to sow discord among Christians so that the church of Jesus Christ would self-destruct from the inside. He is relentless in this pursuit. He will not rest while the church remains united. Remember, Jesus prayed that His Church would be one, even as He and His Father are one (John 17:11). Thus, the devil is always looking for ways to tear apart followers of Jesus.

True unity is something that can only be achieved by a church that makes the glory of God the foremost pursuit and the highest treasure. It is only when we set aside our own personal and self-centered goals and make God’s glory our goal that we will see genuine growth and change in our hearts. This is what the Bible calls “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 5:3).

And when James uses words like “peace-loving, considerate and submissive,” he’s saying that heavenly wisdom teaches us to yield to others, to put the needs and interests of others before our own, for the sake of unity. And the result for those who sow peace is a harvest of righteousness (v. 18).

The wicked, on the other hand, are never at peace. They are always bothered, agitated, ready to jump into another fight.

“But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. ‘There is no peace,’ says my God, ‘for the wicked.’” (Isaiah 57:20-21, NIV)

But when the Prince of Peace is on the throne of your heart it will be evident to others. You will have a sweet reasonableness about you. You will be approachable, allow for discussion, and open to hear others out. You won’t let pride cause you to fume when things don’t go your way. You’ll recognize that the righteous man is a man of peace.

The peace that Jesus Christ gives us is like a lighthouse. There may be a storm raging, with waves crashing against us, but inside there is a sweet quietness. Children can still run around and have fun. Parents can feel at ease. And all the while, no matter how bad the weather gets on the outside, that inner light continues to shine forth so that others can recognize you belong to Jesus.

Countless people throughout the last 2,000 years have discovered for themselves what I’m describing. When you have Christ in your life, that makes all the difference. To the point that you wonder, “How did I ever face anything without Him?” “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3, NASB).

Velvet Steel

Note again these qualities. Heavenly wisdom is “peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17). The word translated “considerate” can also be translated “gentle.” It carries the idea of being approachable and thoughtful in how you relate to others.

The Lincoln biographer Carl Sandburg described Abraham Lincoln as “velvet steel.” He said Lincoln had the remarkable ability to show steely courage and determination in leadership coupled with a notable gentleness and tenderness in the way he dealt with people. Lincoln tried his best to never tear someone down or humiliate others, but he knew the importance of taking a rock-solid stand against dividing the nation and against slavery.

This is what the follower of Jesus is to be like: velvet steel. Look at what Paul says about this:

“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” (2 Timothy 2:24-26)

Do you see the velvet steel? Christians are to take a rock-solid stand on the truth of God’s Word. We are to hold fast unashamedly to Jesus our Savior and call sin by its name.

But we are also not to be quarrelsome, not looking for a fight. Instead, we are to speak with all gentleness and humility because we recognize that if our opponents are in the wrong, God is the One who can change their heart, not us. So, there’s no reason for us to be vicious or resentful. That’s not the way of Jesus. The wisdom from above teaches us to be both firm in our convictions and gentle in how we relate to others.

Summary:

  1. Worldly wisdom teaches us to be self-exalting and God-denying. Heavenly wisdom teaches us to be humble and self-denying.
  2. Worldly wisdom teaches us how to get ahead in life. Heavenly wisdom teaches us that when we live for the glory of God rather than ourselves, the outcome is peace and unity.
  3. Worldly wisdom teaches us how to smash our opponents. Heavenly wisdom teaches us to be both tough in our convictions and tender in our conversations.

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!

Painting by Marco Faria

[1] https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3356084/I-ve-gone-child-Husband-father-seven-52-leaves-wife-kids-live-transgender-SIX-YEAR-OLD-girl-named-Stefonknee.html

[2] Billy Graham, Peace with God.

A Word Fitly Spoken

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional4 Comments 
“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear.” (Proverbs 25:11, ESV)

Christians need one another. Whether we go through times of triumph or defeat, we need a brother or a sister to come alongside us and encourage us to walk the path of faithfulness.

Imagine a scenario where someone slighted you or put you down. This person made a point of saying how awful you are at your job or how lousy you are as a parent. They made cruel remarks not only about you but about your family. The targeted attack spewing from this person’s mouth seems intended to make you feel small and worthless. Perhaps it’s not so difficult to imagine this scenario. Maybe you’ve lived it!

In such a situation, how do you respond? Better said, how would God have us respond when we are shamefully mistreated and insulted?

The Future King

We find an example of this in 1 Samuel 25. This story occurs when David is not yet the king of Israel, but is instead a fugitive on the run. King Saul, jealous of David for being a better man than him in every way, has been hunting David down. Knowing many in his kingdom long for David to be on the throne – including his own son Jonathan – Saul is determined to kill David.

Twice during this season of exile, David has an opportunity to assassinate Saul. Even when his men encourage David to slay the king, David refuses, saying, “The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed.” (1 Samuel 26:11; cf. 24:6). David’s Christlike character never shines brighter than in these moments when he chooses to trust God and spare the man who has made his life miserable.

But situated between these two incidents is another time when David’s faithfulness is put to the test. It involves a foolish and ill-tempered man named Nabal, and his wife Abigail, “an intelligent and beautiful woman” (1 Samuel 25:3, NIV). David has something like a business partnership with the wealthy Nabal. Nabal owns many flocks, and David and his 600 soldiers have protected Nabal’s flocks and servants for some time. These were dangerous times when large flocks and their shepherds were vulnerable to raiders and wild animals. The servants even say that David’s men “were a wall around us the whole time we were herding our sheep near them” (v. 16).

It was generally understood that when soldiers provided protective services, it is only right that they be well fed by the owner of the herds. Nabal is about to throw a big feast, so David sends a warm and friendly message to him, asking whether he and his men can join. You could call it a polite request for a fair business transaction.

The Wealthy Fool

But Nabal’s response is crude and thoughtless. He basically says, “David who? Never heard of him. He sounds like one of those runaway slaves who tries to take advantage of respectable individuals like myself.”

This was a pretty low blow. David was well-known everywhere in Israel. He had gained renown for defeating the Philistine giant Goliath. Not only was Nabal not practicing fair exchange, but he was slapping David across the face, telling him to go beg somewhere else. Nabal was living up to his name, which meant “fool.”

Nabal’s reckless words were especially foolish in this ancient honor-shame society. Those who were shamed by others were expected to protect their own name by taking vengeance on the wrongdoer.

David’s response is quick and decisive. He tells 400 of his men: “Strap on your swords!” (v. 13). Nobody insults David and gets away with it. It’s payback time!

The Wise Woman

It’s at this time that Abigail, Nabal’s wife, learns what her idiotic husband has done and that David plans to destroy every man in his household. She wastes no time in putting together a peace offering and running out to meet the enraged David. Abigail humbly falls at David’s feet and pleads with him to reconsider.

Noting that what her husband did is both foolish and hateful, Abigail says, “Please forgive the trespass of your servant” (v. 28). Then, with astonishing wisdom, she reminds David of Yahweh’s tender care for him and that God will one day set him on Israel’s throne, establishing a lasting dynasty.[1] It’s crucial that Abigail does this. When we forget about God’s deep love for us, it can be far easier to be reactionary and impulsive. Abigail then says, “It’s not just for my husband that I’m pleading, David, but for you. I don’t want you to have his blood on your conscience.”

Abigail’s counsel is a word fitly spoken. She appeals to God’s justice and love. And because Abigail speaks with respect and kindness, David is cut to the heart. She is a “wise reprover,” and he has “a listening ear” (Proverbs 25:11).[2]

David recognizes that really it is God who sent her to speak these words to him. He will not take vengeance into his own hands. Because of Abigail’s wise words, David chose to trust the Lord to be his defender instead of responding in a fit of anger. Rather than piling sin upon sin, Abigail guided David to live out what we read in Romans 12:

“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:19, 21, ESV)

David let God be his defender. In fact, we read that only ten days later God struck down Nabal, and David later married the widowed Abigail (1 Samuel 25:38). That doesn’t mean we pray for God to smite all those who mistreat us, but we do show trust in God by letting Him deal with our enemies.

The Essential Church

In our age of rage and social media, people are encouraged to slap back when they are slapped across the face. We think it is up to us to right every wrong and defend ourselves against every offense. In many ways, we are still a shame-honor culture. In a world that urges you to protect your own honor, God’s Word says:

“Good sense makes one slow to anger,
    and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” (Proverbs 19:11, ESV)

How often are you willing to listen to an Abigail when you are hurt or upset? The two biggest reasons Christians make foolish decisions is that they don’t listen to God’s Word and they don’t listen to the wise counsel of other believers. Certainly, we must seek the Lord’s leading through prayer, but we must take care not to use “I’ll pray about that” as a reason to exclude the guidance of others.

The church is an incredible gift we must never take for granted. When we make decisions in isolation or reject the advice of others, we are walking down the path of foolishness – sometimes even running down that path!

Christ called the church His body, because we are both united to Him and mutually interdependent on one another, just as the eye needs the ear and the hand needs the foot.[3] The Holy Spirit unites believers to one another so that they can share divine wisdom and encourage one another to follow Christ faithfully. We cannot forsake the fellowship of other believers.

When we respond in fleshly haste, we put ourselves in danger, sometimes both spiritually and physically. We need to seek the wisdom of others in the church, because a word fitly spoken might just spare us from the pangs of conscience later.

[1] The Lord Himself promises David that he will have a son reign on his throne forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16), a promise fulfilled by King Jesus in His present and future kingdom (Isaiah 11:1-10).

[2] It’s ironic that many skeptics claim the Bible is denigrating to women when you have many stories like this one, where the woman is clearly the voice of reason and godly wisdom. For other examples, see: Genesis 38:25-26; Judges 4:4-10; Ruth 2:20-22; 1 Samuel 1:12-17; Esther 7:1-7; Luke 24:9-12; John 12:3-8; Acts 18:26.

[3] See 1 Corinthians 12:12-26.

Praying to God in Secret

On By Jason SmithIn DevotionalLeave a comment

By Jason Smith

“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6, ESV)

Maybe you’re a bit like me and you can very easily get caught up in all the “to-do” lists that fill your life. Perhaps you just thought of something you need to get done today or later this week. Life can feel very burdensome when it amounts to finishing one more task after another.

A man named Charles Hummel wrote a little book called Tyranny of the Urgent a while back about time management. The most famous line from that book is this: “Your greatest danger is letting the urgent things crowd out the important.” That’s good practical wisdom. Don’t let the urgent tasks – perhaps the things that cause us the most stress and anxiety – rule your life. Because when you are always hustling from one thing to the next, you’ll inevitably miss out on the most important things in life.

It’s also possible that you feel like you never get to your “to do” list. Maybe there’s just too much, and you’re overwhelmed. Or you’re simply not able to get to it right now. But somehow, that list still hangs over your head like a two-ton weight. You can feel like your mind is always racing ten steps ahead of you.

When we let ourselves live life according to the “tyranny of the urgent,” we are always in motion, always on the go. In a sense, we are living life in fast-forward, and we forget to ever press the pause button. But we need to press pause, and God often has to remind us of this fact.

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth.” (Psalm 46:10, NIV)

Like the psalmist in Psalm 46, we can often feel like we need to stay on the hamster treadmill or else something will go radically wrong. But he realizes that to think in this way is to forget that our sovereign God is in full control. In other words, don’t try to be God. Only He has full control over your situation. Don’t imagine that everything depends on you. You were never meant to bear that burden. So, the Lord tells us, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

It is for this same reason that Jesus encouraged us to pray to God in secret. Why in secret? Because if you only ever pray when others are around, you’re bound to turn prayer into yet one more performance. Prayer will be distorted into a show of spiritual one-upmanship, rather than about your dependence on the living God.

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:5-6, ESV)

Jesus urges us to shut the door on all distractions from the outside world. Go to your Father in secret. Make yourself totally aware of His presence. His love. His majesty. His mercy. His holiness. Reflect on all the good things He’s done in your life and all the difficult times He’s brought you through. That’s when your prayers won’t be tainted with hypocrisy, because it will be just about your intimacy with God Himself.

Keep in mind, the to-do lists will always be there. You never actually finish them. There will always be one more text or email to which you need to respond, and always one more household chore or project that needs to be completed. But don’t let the urgent crowd out the important. You were made for far more than rushing from one task to the next. Instead, set aside time to just delight yourself in the Lord and His sovereign rule over all.

It may not always be a long period of time. Take whatever time you can get. But take Jesus’s words seriously. Find a time to shut the door and be alone with your Father. When you do that, you’ll be able to approach those urgent matters with greater clarity, perspective, and peace.

Take time today to press pause.

*Photo courtesy of Boundless

Building Bridges by Listening

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for LifeLeave a comment

By Jason Smith

Building Bridges by Lorenzo Quinn

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” (James 1:19)

Right now our world is fraught with emotion, anger, and distress. It feels very surreal sometimes to see the violence and tragedy aired on the news or the rage and resentment that is posted on social media. It saddens me to see all the unrestrained fury, bitter sarcasm, and personal denunciations.

So, let’s ask the question together: What can we do to move forward, to see this world become a better place? I don’t ask that question in the Pollyanna sense. I know that a perfect world is one we all hope for. It’s not just Miss America that dreams of world peace. We all want this and would like to know what would contribute to that end, even if imperfectly.

One of the troubles of the American culture right now is our glaring failure to listen. I’ve never seen our nation so polarized, so entrenched in an “us vs. them” mindset. It seems that everywhere I turn I see political, social, racial, and gender divides.

I remember in grade school, I had a relatively minor feud with another boy in my class. Looking back, it was mostly just a petty and childish disagreement. At the time, however, I was so visibly upset about the whole thing that my teacher noticed. She wisely asked me only one question, “Well, have you tried listening to him?”

My initial thought was: Have I tried listening?! That’s what got me so upset! I’ve heard what he has to say. But, of course, what she meant was, “Have you tried listening to understand him?” It’s safe to say that was something I definitely hadn’t done.

Have you ever noticed how when you are in an argument with someone, it’s very hard to actually stop and hear everything they have to say? More often, we’re better at only half-listening while re-loading our verbal shotgun with new arguments that pack a bigger punch. When words are many, tempers flare and emotions run high. It’s not easy to stop ourselves in our tracks, reign in our tongue, and truly listen with the goal of understanding the person we disagree with.

I’m not advocating some kind of moratorium on all debate, of course. Healthy dialogue between people who disagree is a very good thing, and, in fact, necessary for a free and thriving society. I’m merely wondering how much you and I really try to empathize with those of a vastly different perspective.

In Scripture, James writes, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires” (James 1:19-20).

Whether or not you consider yourself a follower of Jesus, this should register as sound wisdom to you. James is calling us to do the opposite of what we tend to do when our blood pressure is rising and our view is clashing with another’s. Jump quickly at the opportunity – not to respond – but to listen. And hold back, be patient, and bide your time in your response.

When you thoughtfully listen to someone else, you are building a bridge to them. You’re crossing over into their world and inviting them to cross over into yours – not so you’ll come out looking the exact same, but so that understanding is better achieved. This is what Italian artist Lorenzo Quinn tried to capture in his incredible sculpture Building Bridges in Venice, depicting six pairs of hands reaching out to one another over the canal (pictured above).

In her book, I’m Still Here, Austin Channing Brown describes how difficult it was to grow up as a black girl in a world where everyone wanted her to conform to their expectations. In her own words, “I was too white for black people, and too black for white people. I had a boy’s name and bad acne. It was terrible.”[1] People from all walks of life tended to disparage her rather than seek to understand her. Perhaps you can relate.

Listening truly is a skill that takes time to master. When we listen with an eagerness to understand the person who holds a different perspective, we are loving them. We’re showing we want to step into their shoes and see things through their eyes, even for just a moment. All too often, we make assumptions about others and lay our personal expectations on them without ever asking about where they are coming from. We don’t open ourselves to differing perspectives, because we see them as a threat to the truth we hold dear. But if we really care about truth, we shouldn’t be afraid to uncover other perspectives that may just help us on our journey to the truth. In listening well, we won’t be devaluing truth. “For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth” (2 Corinthians 13:8).

Here’s a good test we could all take to see how we’re doing on this whole being “quick to listen” thing: the next time you engage in a discussion with someone you firmly disagree with, go into it with the expectation and hope that you will learn something from them. You never know how a different perspective might change the way you approach the issue in the future. You may even be a little humbled. Sure, you probably won’t be fully persuaded by the differing view, but you might identify a blind spot you never knew you had.

What James is proposing is not rocket science. It is incredibly simple, really… and yet the skill of listening thoughtfully to those of a different persuasion is so rarely practiced in our world today.

I mentioned at the beginning of this article that we all desire world peace on some level, but the question is: How can we get there? I personally believe genuine and lasting peace can only be fully consummated when the Lord Jesus Christ comes to make all things new. However, I can tell you this. If, in the meantime, you do practice listening to understand, you will be making great progress in loving that person and establishing the peace that God desires in our relationships, our communities, and our world.

[1] Austin Channing Brown, I’m Still Here (New York: Penguin Random House, 2018), 32.