“Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.” (Proverbs 3:7, ESV)
As long as we are still here on this earth, we need reminders. I’m 37 now, and I can still remember a conversation with one of my high school teachers twenty years ago that has stuck with me. I think it stuck with me, because overall I thought of myself as a good student. But during that time, I was facing some challenges and not making the best decisions.
He told me he noticed that during the first part of the school year, I was doing well in class, but lately, it seemed like I wasn’t really taking the subject seriously. Initially, I wanted to brush him off. Why is he picking on me? I’m a good student, after all!
I think he recognized something was off. When a student has done well consistently throughout the year, but they suddenly bomb an assignment–and then another one–the issue is probably the student, not the teacher. For me, it was an issue of teachability. His words stuck with me: “I’m saying this to you because I know you’re capable of more.”
Ouch. Those words stung! It felt like he was calling me lazy. And you know what? He wasn’t wrong! For various reasons, I had stopped putting in the effort. And he noticed and told me as much.
It can be hard to receive counsel from others. We tell ourselves that we know what’s best for ourselves. On top of that, we live in a culture that says you should trust your feelings above all else. Christians need to remember we are in a battle with the ideas, selfish desires, and spiritual forces that oppose the gospel (commonly called “the world, the flesh, and the devil”). And part of that battle is remembering how easily we can fool ourselves. That’s why we need to hear instruction and counsel from others.
The wise king Solomon taught: “Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment” (Proverbs 18:1).
In other words, the one who refuses the counsel of others is instead surrounding him or herself with bad thoughts. The man who doesn’t let others speak into his life or hold him accountable is ultimately the fool headed for a train wreck. Whether he realized it or not, my teacher’s words to me were like a wake-up call: “Don’t be a fool!” Or said in a slightly nicer tone: “Don’t waste what God has given you!”
Wisdom begins with recognizing how much we need it and how following our own desires and impulses can so easily lead us astray.
Solomon also said:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” (Proverbs 3:5-8, ESV)
How teachable are you? Do you let people speak truth and wisdom into your life? Do you let Scripture direct your paths and shape your thinking–or is God on mute in your life?
So often we refuse to listen to our critics or those who disagree with us, believing we already know best. But what if God is sending such people to get our attention?
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the greatest source for humble teachability. It tells us that we have all made a mess of things through our sin, but at the same time, we have a God who loves us unconditionally–and proved it through the sacrificial death of Jesus. Knowing you are so easily swayed by sin creates humility. You can no longer believe that you can’t be deceived or led astray. At the same time, because God so dearly loves you, you have every confidence to confess where you’ve been duped or made bad decisions, knowing He forgives and restores.
We have all been in that place. So, know that your sins and mistakes doesn’t disqualify you from God’s love. If we are rooting ourselves securely in His love, it can become the very thing that opens us to receive instruction and correction.
So let me encourage you to make a commitment to be teachable this coming week. Listen to those who want to provide godly counsel.
Is there anyone who you need to talk with that you have been avoiding?
Have thoughts on this post? I’d love to hear from you!
“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:
Worldly wisdom teaches us to be self-exalting and God-denying. Heavenly wisdom teaches us to be humble and self-denying.
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.
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!
Lamp and Light 