13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Proper conduct and walk always comes with genuine faith. Can Christians have bitter envy and self seeking in their hearts? Yes, it is part of the flesh, but blessing should come from us, not envy and self-seeking.
We can not be genuinely happy for someone else's prosperity in our flesh, only with God's help. Our goal in all we do should be God's glory, not our own advantage.
15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. Confusion and every evil thing come with envy and self-seeking.
Self seeking and envious people are plotters and pre-meditated - they bring every evil thing into the body. We must be careful with our motives and thought lives. Envy and self-seeking people are earthly, unspiritual and demonic. We can be dangerous people to either Satan's people or to the church.
When your life is about what you want, confusion and every evil thing is there. You will have the potential to do great harm to the body of Christ. Most Christians are deceiving themselves by denying their own envy and self-seeking motives.
How can I serve Jesus? Serve your brothers and sisters in the Church.
17But 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. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
Sometimes we will have problems with each other. But mature Christians will sown peace through righteousness (Ro 14:19).
3 comments:
Thank you for this post. During a meeting today, I so badly wanted to speak my mind and I had to pratically keep my hand on my month to resist the urge to speak out. Thank-you for reminding me that "mature Christians will sown peace".
I'm glad these notes encouraged you! Often the hardest thing to do is to be quiet, isn't it. I often remind myself of that verse, When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.
Of course there is a time to speak (a time to be silent and a time to speak according to Eccl 3). So I guess we need to discern which is best in each situation.
I agree with you that there is a time for both and it does require discernment to know the difference. Although, I would say, if in doubt, be silent.
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