March 3 Daily Devotional

Scripture for Day 62—James 3:14–18

¹⁴ But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. ¹⁵ This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.... ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Devotional:

Our Lord Jesus says, "you will recognize them by their fruits" (Matt. 7:20). In that case, what fruit does counterfeit wisdom produce? What fruit does true wisdom produce? How can we recognize which is which?

The wisdom from below produces "disorder and every vile practice" (v. 16b). The word translated "disorder" is used elsewhere in James. If you are gripped by the wisdom from below, you will be "unstable" (1:8) and "restless" (3:8). Counterfeit wisdom also produces "every vile practice." In the long run, double-mindedness can't be kept inside. Eventually it must break out. And when it does, it produces "every vile practice." This is especially telling if God is primarily addressing teachers and would-be teachers in the church (compare James 3:1). I grew up in Protestant liberalism. The gist of the message I was taught there was, "Now that we're modern, we know that the miracles of the Bible aren't really true. But the morals are. So be good. It's good to be good and it's bad to be bad." But what is the fruit of that teaching? Today these very same denominations not only defend "every vile practice;" they also want to ordain to the highest offices in the church those who actually do practice them!

The wisdom from above, on the other hand, produces "a harvest of righteousness" (v. 18). This is the exact opposite of "every vile practice." "Righteousness" conforms to God's holy character. The fruit of following heavenly wisdom is lives that are pleasing to God! O, may God grant us the wisdom from above that produces this fruit!

Click here for background on the author of Are You For Real?: Meditations in the Epistle of James for Secret or Family Worship.