“Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” (James 3:18)
One of the bottom-line differences between the world’s wisdom and the wisdom of heaven is this: The world’s wisdom leads to conflict. Heaven’s wisdom leads to peace.
The world’s wisdom says, “You’ve got to be willing to fight to get what’s yours. If you don’t compete to promote yourself, nobody else will. If you want something, you’ve got to compete for it on the battlefield of sports or academics or business or war or relationships. You’ve got to take it. Nobody is going to give it to you.”
Heaven’s wisdom says, “God will give you whatever you need and many amazing things you didn’t even know you wanted. You won’t have to fight for them. You can do the hard work he calls you to and trust him to provide. You can join him in doing good things for people, finding new ways to make peace. People who love making peace ending up doing what’s right.”
Think: Does heaven’s wisdom appeal to you? Why or why not? What does that say about us that sometimes we’d rather fight than make peace?
Pray: Ask God to help you to be a peacemaker who sows in peace and raises a harvest of righteousness.
Do: Read James 4:1-12 to hear more about the conflict that comes from living by the world’s wisdom.