Tag: Belief

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Peace Planters

Reading Time: 2 minutes

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. ‭‭James‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

James, brother of Jesus and one of the early church leaders, writes to the churches about living a faith-filled and fruit-filled life. It is not just faith, it is obedient and visible works.

In just a few short thoughts, James captures the true essence of the word wisdom. Wisdom is evident in the behaviors of peacemakers and peace planters! James writes the attributes of wisdom, which was exemplified in his brother’s entire life. Jesus, the essence and personification of wisdom loved and lived peace.

Wisdom is first of all, pure (hagnos) holy and sacred.

▪️It is peaceful (eirénikos) whole and joined or tied together.
▪️ It is gentile (epieikés) equitable, yielding and reasonable.
▪️ It is yielding (eupeithes) compliant, pre-disposed to come to terms.
▪️ It is filled with mercy (eleos) pity and compassion and produces good fruit (karpos).
▪️ It is impartial (adiakritos) indistinguishable, without uncertainty about fairness.
▪️ And it is sincere (anupokritos) without hypocrisy, pretending, acting or faking truth.

What a list of behavioral attributes! This is not only what wisdom looks like, it is what a wise person acts like! Pure, peaceful, reasonable, compliant, merciful, compassionate, equitable and sincere behaviors. Think of what takes place in our country’s highest level of court justice. Think of what takes place in our country’s lowest level of street justice. Do we see wisdom? Do we see behaviors of peace?

James admonishes true followers of Jesus to not only think wisely, but behave wise. James inspires us to be peace planters, yielding beautiful fruits of wisdom! What am I sowing on Sundays as believers gather? How can I choose to seed peace rather than seethe hate at the insta or TikTok water cooler? How can the wisdom and peace of God be the antidote to the fast-spreading social viruses of anger, hate, disunity and violence? James is a big fan of behavior over simply belief!

Prayer

Dad,

Action is far louder than belief, behavior is far more effective for change than just my quiet thoughts on what I believe or how I feel. Your word, your wisdom, is actionable towards us. Your thoughts towards us are proven through your behavior towards us. Your love, mercy and peace have been demonstrated through Jesus! And my life can show proof of Jesus’ life and the eternal change in me through my behaviors of wisdom and peace. Thank you for rescuing me and calling me to be a peace planter!

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Jesus’ little brother pulls no punches.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?” ‭‭James‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You don’t want to belief-spar with James, Jesus’ brother. He watched the gospel become the fulfillment of God’s plan from the inside out. What was it like being the little brother to Jesus? Did Jesus prank James? Hide dead bugs in his bed? Tell Mary what James was really up to at a “friend’s house”? James didn’t believe his brother was the Messiah until after the resurrection! Did James seriously think Jesus was holding out for the long con?

I’ve often thought about James’ book and it’s hard-hitting, guilt-triggering truth! James grew up watching Jesus say a lot of stuff about God and about himself. But I can tell, James also watched Jesus physically follow through with every one of his beliefs, sermons and promises. Jesus said what he was going to do and he did it! There’s an old axiom that actions speak louder than words, I can guarantee, Jesus lived a very loud life.

James’ crystal-clear clarity message: faith absolutely translates into behavior. And if it doesn’t… it’s a dead, worthless faith to hold on to. “So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” James‬ ‭2‬:‭17‬. Ouch! James also speaks the truth, calling out the nonsense between conservative and liberal practics. Conservatives say, it’s what you think, believe and talk about. Liberals say, it’s what you do, live, rally and physically take part in. One gives money, the other gives time. I know that’s exaggerated, but either way – James declares, it’s both and! He writes, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” Nonsense – James says.

This connection, this necessity, is so vital that James compares the air in our lungs to the requirement of life itself, writing, “Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.” Good works, applying the truths and principles of God’s Word through service, love and behavioral application is the very air of our faith.

This challenges me to constantly translate what I read, hear and learn from the Bible directly into obedience and action. If I spend my life only hearing, only reading, only listening to Bible preachers and podcasts and never DO WHAT IT SAYS, Jesus himself said, I’ve just built a really nice life completely on the sand! First storm and it all comes crashing down. Faith without works becomes the curse of a shabby build, maybe it looks pretty but it’s not sustainably secure.

Prayer

Dad,
So the real struggle here is not how much of your Word I can quote and cram into my brain, it’s how much of your Word can I apply, can I obey, can I put to work to change my behavior, get my hands dirty in serving – right? Am I missing something? I love Your Word! It didn’t just save me it SAVES me. I love learning more about you, your character, your will, your ways. But if I am not careful to work out obedience and service seeing physical changes in my behavior, then what happens to your Living Word in my heart and life? If I don’t yield, doesn’t my heart harden? If I don’t obey, doesn’t it turn bitter in my soul? There seems to be a stern warning about how I handle the Word of truth, letting it work in me and through me rather than just storing up quotable knowledge like a spiritual wikipedia. Help me yield, obey, change and put your Word to work! Amen.