photo from Time Magazine (http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1954087_2025842,00.html)
James 3:13-18
Two Kinds of Wisdom
"13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17But 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. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness."
I think we've got it all wrong.
Why is there suffering?
Because without it we'd never be humble enough
to get ourselves to come to God.
You don't understand the poverty of the poor
'til you've had a bit of poverty of your own.
it might take you losing a house
for you to realize that a house
wasn't what you really needed.
I think we are blind.
To just how selfish we really are.
We don't think ourselves as very selfish
until we see disaster on the television
and don't stop to do anything about it.
But for those people on the TV...
the disaster is not just the morning news.
It's in their backyard and fronyard and both side yards and,
because of the earthquake (whether emotional or physical),
they no longer even have a living room to put a TV in.
You see, until we get a taste of what it's really like, how could we understand?
I'm not saying we shouldn't try to though:)
So. You see, I think we've got this all wrong.
This economic crisis we're in
might just be a divine opportunity.
We're being forced to decide:
If i have only two pennies, will
I share one
or both?
Will i give him one, when he really needs both?
If i only have ten dollars in my bank account for the rest of the month,
will i still give God my 10% to remind myself
that it's already his and show him that i am still faithful in the good and the bad?
So I think we've got this all wrong.
We've irresponsible gorged ourselves on luxuries and now we complain that dad took away our toys or our cell phone.
That's what happens when we're consciously irresponsible.
You get a time-out.
So let's rethink this thing.
Let's not throw a tantrum and let our pride get in the way.
Selfish ambition has wreaked havoc for too long.
If you have two pennies and you're asked to share.
Give both.
If he needs a coat, give him your coat
hat
and mittens.
But if he needs both, and you have both, give him both.
I think we're going to see a beautiful turn-around.
It's amazing what love and a taste of poverty can do.
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