13 Who among you is wise and understanding ? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
The study guide asked me to look at the differences between wisdom from above vs. earthly wisdom. Pulling straight out of the text above, wisdom from above means gentleness, purity, peace, reasonableness, mercy, good fruits, unwavering, and without hypocrisy.
Just last night (& so many times!), I prayed for wisdom for Mr. H and I as parents. Really and honestly, what I meant was, "Lord, help us to understand what to do with these children you've given us. Help us to know what to do when they disobey us over and over again in stubborn defiance, to know how to react when they say stupid things, and to know how to love them when at moments we don't even really like them."
This morning, after reading in James, that prayer was put into new light for me... when I prayed for wisdom, God heard me asking, "Help us to be gentle, to be pure and peaceable. Help us to be reasonable, having mercy and good fruits, unwavering without hypocrisy." Kinda puts a new spin on parenting, huh?
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