20240203

malicious mindsets

James 3:13-18 (JDV)

James 3:13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his results, with the humility of wisdom.
James 3:14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and deny the truth.
James 3:15 Such wisdom does not come down from above but is earthly, physical, demonic.
James 3:16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice.
James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense.
James 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.

malicious mindsets

James identifies two enemies of peace here. They are bitter envy (hatred of others who are more well-off than you) and selfish ambition (seeking to be more well-off than others). These two mindsets are present within the early church — to whom James writes. They are both masquerading as wisdom, but in reality, they are anti-wisdom as well as anti-peace. Those mindsets are causing disorder and producing “every evil practice.” They must be uprooted and replaced by true wisdom, grounded in humility (treating people as if they are actually better than you) and peace (maintaining purity and gentleness in interpersonal relationships).