Divine Discovery: Tuesday

Read
James 3:13-17
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the
humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not
boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual,
demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 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.

Reflect
This passage is all about the difference between how society wants us to live and how God wants us
to live.

Society says, “Look out for number one.” Society says we have to get ourselves ahead...at all costs. That
generally means we have to prop ourselves up by pushing other people down. This scenario plays itself out all
the time on all the TV reality shows. The contestants have to scheme and conspire and lie and backstab to make
themselves look better than everybody else. It’s called selfish ambition: getting ourselves ahead regardless of the
cost to anybody else.

Is it possible we do the same thing in an effort to be friends with popular people?

Society motivates us by envy.. The popular kids have the nicest clothes, date the coolest people, and seem to
have more fun and better lives. And we want that. We’re jealous.

Society’s wisdom tells us to be motivated by jealousy, to brag about ourselves so we look good, to get ourselves
ahead no matter what, even if it means lying to people.

But God’s wisdom tells us to be motivated by mercy and consideration. God’s wisdom tells us to pursue peace
and harmony, truth and purity in all things.

Respond
Spend some time reflecting on how you might be jealous or might be hurting others to get yourself
ahead. Then, pray for God’s wisdom to take over those situations instead.

This devotion can be found at