Skip to main content

But the Wisdom that Comes from Heaven...

             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. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. (James 3:17-18)

Last week was a good but tough week, and the weekend involved trying to get things done that I didn’t have time to do during the week. I’m tired and quickly running out of time to write this. That may be part of why this passage - or just one word - is striking deep. The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure. Pure. Not mixed with stuff. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the books we read, the shows we watch, the people we think are friends, the authorities we obey are all polluted. We’re polluted by chemicals, our sins, and the sins of others. The idea of purity has been polluted because, more often than not, it’s limited to a sexual condition. I suspect that means that the idea isn’t even pure.

And heaven knows I’m not pure, either. I’m making a lap afghan for charity, but I don’t care about the person who will get it. It’s all about the making. For the past five weeks, I’ve attended a Sunday School class about finding your fit in Christ’s family. The information was interesting, and I think I need to spend about 90 hours considering it, but when the discussion turned to our acting on the information, my thoughts were contaminated by fear and distrust. What makes this particularly sad is that “Karen” is derived from Catherine, which means “Pure.”

But, the wisdom that comes from heaven is pure. I find myself drawn to this idea. It’s a treasure hunt that needs to happen. Rather than tell you, I’m going to just challenge you. Think for a few minutes about purity.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Gal 6:10)   “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.   By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)           Joshua grinned when he saw Rex standing by the door, studying something on the ground. "Hey, man! Are we ready to do this thing?"          Rex looked up. "Josh, I can't do it. We're still best buds, but I can't stand your fiancée."           I've met "Rex" many times. I've been Rex. Joshua (Jesus) loves the Church. He's not a fool. He knows the Church is far from perfect, but she is His chosen bride. The Rexes of this world, who think themselves His friend, turn away from her. "You don't need the Church to...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ssssssubmmissssssionnn

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ . (Ephesians 5:21)             "Ssssssubmmisssssssionnn." Can't you just hear the serpent hissing this most horrible of words? If you listen to the serpent or the world, submission means groveling, allowing yourself to be abused, denying yourself your own humanity. Nothing could be worse than submission, could it?             Submission has never been a problem for me, as long as things are going the way I want them to. The rest of the time? Well, let's just say that while I don't know how to fight physically, I don't know how to not fight mentally. One of the fights I've been having with myself for years is about submission.             My first breakthrough took place on a trip to a bookstore. As I walked into the store, my thoughts were very clear. 1) I was goi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shark Fins, Triple Dog Dares, Heroes, Villains and Sidekicks

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)            There's a scene in Jaws in which someone sees a shark fin and starts a panic. As   all the swimmers scramble to shore, boats surround the fin, which falls over to reveal two kids. With several guns pointed at them, one of the kids points at the other. The message is clear: it was his idea. In Christmas Story, there's a scene in which one kid "triple dog dares" another to do something stupid. Since it's a triple dog dare, well, what choice does the boy have? There doesn't seem to be any end to the trouble that peer pressure can cause. ...
Post a Comment
Read more