March 5 Daily Devotional

Scripture for Day 64—James 3:18

¹⁸ And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Devotional:

Amazing grace! The living God works in his people and through his people to produce "a harvest of righteousness"-a vast multitude that no one can number being won to the Lord, getting right with God, being conformed to the image of Christ, and bearing the fruit of the Spirit to his glory. What a vision for the church! How can you contribute toward its coming to pass?

First of all, plant the right seed. The "seed" that God uses to produce this great harvest of righteousness is "the wisdom from above." "The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere" (v. 17). Ultimately, this is our Lord Jesus Christ, "who became to us wisdom from God" (1 Cor. 1:30). And so, on the one hand, keep confessing and forsaking the sinful counterfeit wisdom that comes from the world, the flesh, and the devil. On the other hand, keep looking to Jesus in faith, walking with him, and abiding in him in order to be gripped and governed by his true wisdom that comes from above.

Second, plant this seed in the right soil. What is the "soil" from which this harvest of righteousness grows? "A harvest of righteousness is sown in peace…" That is to say, the soil that produces the harvest of righteousness is peaceful, loving relationships between believers.

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