look at my wisdom

Ever watch White Wolves? For those of you that haven't had the privilege, a group of teens and their leader go on a backpacking trip, very much like the Wilderness Trip we do but with less canoeing. Their goal is to get to the top of Eagle Rock. They eventually make it to the top and disaster strikes! Their trip turns into a rescue mission. All throughout the movie, one of the teens, Scott, has camping experience and just seems to be wise in making decisions and knowing how to handle these scenarios that none of them have ever been in before. Towards the end of the movie, Benny decides to leave on his own and get help. He goes in the middle of the night without discussing it with the group. When Scott wakes up, he sees a note from Benny and is ticked off! He starts complaining about how they should've discussed this and they should've decided together. Adam looks at him and responds "no you mean you should have decided. Let's face it you're just angry because you're the one that has to sit here and wait, while he's the one that got to go." Scott angrily kicks some dirt because Adam's right. Scott tries to make it seem like his concern is the group when really he's mad because he's got some jealously and selfishness.

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. (James 3:13-14 ESV)

In chapter 3, James has been talking about the tongue, and how it's so small yet powerful. He talks about how a spring or a fig tree can only produce what they are made to produce. After all that, he then starts talking about wisdom and good conduct.

If a fig tree produces really delicious figs, it doesn't have to brag about it and tell people. Its fruit speaks for it. Likewise, if you are wise and understanding, you don't need to brag about it; the way you act should demonstrate it. It's back to the whole idea of faith without works being dead.

If you are trying to be wise, but with selfish motives, you are being false to the truth. Eventually what is in your heart will be revealed.

The book of Proverbs spends a great deal of time talking about the difference between those who are full of wisdom and those who are full of folly. Here are just a few verses:

The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin... The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence... The wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near. (Proverbs 10:8, 11, 14 ESV)

The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. (Proverbs 15:2 ESV)

Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, (Proverbs 3:13 ESV)

My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. (Proverbs 3:21-22 ESV)

The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace. (Proverbs 3:35 ESV)

Answer This:

1) Be honest- are you truly wise and understanding or do you tend to be motivated by jealously and selfishness?

2) "Who is wise and understanding among you? By his _____________________ let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom."

3) How does your conduct relate to your wisdom/understanding?

4) Take some time to journal about this passage.

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Written by Amber

is that the finish line up there?

Ever watch White Wolves? For those of you that haven't had the privilege, a group of teens and their leader go on a backpacking trip, very much like us, with less canoeing. Their goal is to get to the top of Eagle Rock. They eventually make it to the top and disaster strikes! Their trip turns into a rescue mission. Before that happens they have a little encounter with a bear. Kara doesn’t want to hang the food in a tree and a bear sniffs it out and eats it. If you’ve ever done a wilderness trip, you know how important it is to plan out your food carefully. You don’t want to eat too much or too little so that it lasts for the duration of the trip. A bear eating your food makes all that planning seem to have been done in vain.

[Galatians 2:1-2: Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain.]

In the last few verses of chapter 1, Paul has explained why he has any power to speak about this whole issue regarding the Gentiles and circumcision and the Law. Now the beginning of chapter 2, he’s telling us what he did about the situation. There are two things that standout to me.

The first thing is the parenthetical comment in verse 2. Paul went to Jerusalem to talk and he sought out the people who were influential and talked to them privately. He didn’t go make a scene and get into a huge public debate. He didn’t protest and post on facebook to get supporters for his cause. No, he went privately to address the issue. I don’t know about you, but I don’t always just go quietly and talk to people who are influential in a situation I have issue with. I think Paul’s honest and humble approach to the situation is something we could all learn from.

The second thing that stands out to me is Paul explaining why he’s doing this in the end of verse 2. He wants to make sure that the effort he has put forth in proclaiming the Gospel to the Gentiles hasn’t been in vain. If he’s got this whole thing wrong, he’s been preaching a false gospel for the past few years and so he wants some clarification.

We all want to have purpose. We want to know that out lives matter. We don’t want to spend years of our lives doing something to find out it was all in vain.

Paul’s life was radically different because of his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus. He’s been running the race of life proclaiming the Gospel. He runs with purpose. We should do the same. Make sure the things that you are focused on are the things that truly matter. Don’t run in vain.

1. How do you generally handle situations in which you disagree with someone?

2. …in order to make sure I was not _______________ in vain.

3. Are you running in vain or are you running with a purpose?

4. Take a minute and journal your thoughts about this passage:


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Written by Amber