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13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, here is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
At times in our life we may think of ourselves as more than what we really are. We may even say that based on my good qualities and actions I am better than that person or that group. We could even in our ignorance believe that we are wise because of our knowledge of history, law, business savvy, physical fitness, faith, or religious understand, etc...think that we are wise beyond our years.
It is the earthly fallen nature of man, that destroys the purity of God's plan with sinfulness, His peace with dissention, His gentleness with wrath, His reasonableness with toxicity, His mercy and goodness with unforgiveness and power grabs, His unwavering faith with our all out tolerance or anything goes, His righteousness with our hypocrisy.
From here the seed of all out chaos is opened to destroy the harvest of peace. There is a war on the Christian faith. This is a war waged against the fabric of the salvation by God the Father, through the crucifixion of His Son, and empower by the Holy Spirit, from those who claim knowledge but lie against the truth He has given, shown and offered. Only God purifies those who seek humility over arrogance, and submission over selfish ambition.
The real question that you must ask yourself is this: Am I seeking to sow the seeds of righteousness in peace with those who do not understand the salvation and faith in God or do I look down upon them in my religious arrogance? I have struggle with this very point though the years dealing with those who seek to wage war against my faith out of arrogance. I have come to understand that I must pray daily for them, show them God's love, temper my tongue, and live out the example of Christ as He did for His disciples'.
So to those who proclaim the faith I ask you to seek, pray, show, temper, and live the faith without hypocrisy of God's love. So you do not destroy the seeds of peace He desires to develop with all mankind.
Pray with me, Almighty God give me the courage to be a standard bearer of Christ in the faith. Guide me to the fountain of wisdom, so I may drink of Your purity. Show me the path that I might lead others to You. Temper my arrogance and tongue, so I do not destroy the seeds of purity that have been sown. Help my thoughts, words, and deeds be a bridge of peace not hypocrisy. Amen
2 comments:
Very powerful stuff! It is so hard (especially in the military) to remain humble with what we accomplish. It is sometines even harder to avoid jealousy when others get accolades we think we deserve. I try to remeber the quote from Matthew...
"Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing..."
It helps me to remeber that good works will be rewarded by our Father. Keep working hard and be happy for others when they accomplish things.
Right, Do not let your pride overshadow your faith. Humility is the attitude and action that we must embrace if we are to resemble the image of Christ within us. Second the issue of jealousy is Satan's attempt to dupe you into believing that you are more deserving and entitled than the person who was permoted or awarded. If one believes this then they will become bitter and filled with strife for his fellow man.
And old mentor of my you to say to me Keep on Keeping on and God will be faithful with the blessings that you need not the desires that you want.
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