Today’s reading is James 4.
Peacemakers sow peace and harvest righteousness. But there were quarrels and fights among James’s audience. What was keeping them from the peace-pursuing wisdom? Their desires. Their passions. Their pleasures.
Remember what tempts us. We are lured and enticed by our desires. When desire is conceived it gives birth to sin. When sin is fully grown it brings forth death. Let us not think our desires and sins only impact us. When I am led by my desire-induced selfish ambition, fights and quarrels will break out.
James provides another litmus test. When I’m involved in fights and quarrels, I’m learning something about myself. My passions, pleasures, desires are at war within me. Because of the war within, I end up pursuing wars without. Just as geo-political, international wars are almost always about desiring territory, so also are interpersonal fights. The territory in interpersonal fights may not be land, but the quarrels are territorial disputes nonetheless.
When you are in a fight. Stop. Ask the hard question. What territory is up for grabs in your mind right now? The territory may not always be what the fight seems to be about. Though you may be arguing over where to go for supper, the territory up for grabs might actually be who is in charge or personal convenience. Though you might be fighting over an approach to some project at work, the territory up for grabs might actually be reputation, respect, influence. Though you might be fighting over some doctrinal issue, the territory up for grabs might be being seen as the intelligent one.
Certainly, we are to fight the good fight of faith. Yes, we must stand up for and defend sound doctrine. But even then, the Lord’s servant is not to be quarrelsome, but kind, correcting opponents with gentleness (2 Timothy 2:24-25). When defending the faith descends to quarrelsome fighting, rest assured the territory in question is not actually Christ’s doctrine. It’s something else. Be honest about it. Figure out what it is. Commit it to Jesus. Once you renounce whatever desire is pulling you into the fight, be amazed when the fight goes right out of you and God’s pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, merciful, righteous wisdom takes over.
Tomorrow’s reading is James 4.
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Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family
- What are your initial reactions to the chapter and the written devo above?
- Are you in an ongoing fight with anyone right now? What is the territory up for grabs in your mind?
- How can we renounce our desires, passions, and pleasures to Jesus, thus deflating all the fights we are in?
- What advice would you give to others when they respond to the above saying, “But that means someone will take advantage of me”?
- What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this chapter and today’s post?
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