Checking Division

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:13-18)

Did you ever have one of those days when it seemed you just couldn’t get along with the people you normally spend time with? I was prompted to look at this passage in James recently after one of those days when my family was on “staycation” and the atmosphere for a good part of the day was somewhat negatively charged. If these days are the exception rather than the norm, we tend to brush them aside. But those days aren’t pleasant and, in honesty, there are longer, “striving seasons” in any group that exists for an extended period of time. Because I recently started a study comparing the Old Testament Jewish temple with the New Testament body temple, I began to think about seasons of strife in a broader, family of God sense. Although strife can ultimately be a catalyst to strengthen some previously weak and vulnerable areas, history tells us that it frequently causes more harm than healing when it comes to a family operating at full capacity. Too often, it ends in division rather than multiplication.

In reference to my previous blog, let’s keep in mind the four purposes for the temple as named by Solomon: dedication to God’s purposes, dedication to God’s presence, dedication to prayer, and dedication to sacrifice. A body in which the individuals are encouraged to operate in these underlying purposes will be healthy. But a healthy body is a target of attack from Satan and one of his favorite methods of attack is to divide and conquer. When division is left unchecked, a previously vivacious church can be rendered ineffective in the kingdom of God.

James uses some strong language when he talks about the source of bitter envy and strife (self-seeking) in the body. That source is the wrong kind of wisdom—wisdom that is earthy, sensual demonic (AKA “the wisdom of man”). It produces confusion and brings with it every evil thing. That’s weighty!

Thankfully, in this same passage James also gives us some excellent evaluation tools to use when we began to see division in the body. We can check the wisdom of all sides of division by comparing its characteristics with the features of the “wisdom from above.” Ask a few simple questions:

*Is it pure? (Or is it mingled with self-promotion and pride?)

*Is it peaceable? (Or is it presented in a contentious manner?)

* Is it gentle? (Or is it harsh?)

*Is it willing to yield to others and to God? (Or is it stubborn?)

*Is it full of mercy? (Or is it full of judgment?)

*Is it full of good fruit? (Or is it full of the works of the flesh? See Galatians 5.)

*Is it without partiality? (Or are predispositions and prejudices playing a role?)

*Is it without hypocrisy? (Or is there dissonance in walk versus talk?)

In all likelihood, because there are humans involved, in all sides of the division there will be elements of both types of wisdom. The question lies in whether all the parties involved are willing to honestly evaluate and adjust their perspective. If we are as individuals in the body truly seeking to be dedicated to God’s purposes, His presence, prayer and sacrifice, then the body as a whole should naturally revert to checking our division by multiplying godly wisdom and subtracting our earthly wisdom. With God, all things are possible.