There are people who just love to give advice. We are in an age, where all ideas are sacred, so long as it agrees with the mob. Ridiculous. Check your brain at the door and you’ll be just fine. Believers, we are leaving in a radical time and it will take radical obedience to keep us in the direction we need to go. After all, we are children of ‘the way’ are we not?
A good test of our maturity in Christ, is the advice we heed. Where is it coming from? Who said it? What was its origin? James 3.15 says— “This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.” Oops! Someone got advice from the wrong source. “This wisdom” is their own; the advice they already agree with. It is an advice that appeals to the flesh it says— “earthly, sensual, devilish”. Remember that the flesh, and the world pumping advice at you is self seeking and self first. Don’t fall for it! It looks like: ‘I think’, ‘I want’, ‘I feel’.
That may have come off harsh. Look at the next verse— “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work” (3.16). The word “confusion” is ‘akatastasia’, which means: instability, disorder, and even revolution or anarchy. It isn’t that someone is confused by something confusing, its that they are confused by an agenda. Where personal agendas and self-seeking motives are in play, you will also have instability in your relationships, disorder in your focus, and can produce an anarchist ‘your not going to tell em what to do’ mentality. Did you notice the phrase— “every evil work”? It has always been and always will be evil to stir people up against other people. This is being played out again and again before us in major cities and in our home towns. Someone(s) stiring the pot, setting people up for anger and hate. It is evil! Ive found the same thing happens in churches too. All it takes is some grumbling, disgruntled person to set others on a path of discontent, that turns ugly quick. Spreading discord is a thing God flat-out hates (Proverbs 6)! All of this type of thing is not godly, but is of the devil (3.15)
So much advice available, but it’s a mile wide and an inch deep. If not earthly, then what does the heavenly wisdom say? James tells us in verse 17— “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” Just because someone says they are wise, or someone else says that person is wise, doesn’t mean they are wise. The list provided by the Spirit here, is the opposite of what we have read previously. As a matter of fact, I see no selfish or self-willed spirit in the slightest. The spiritual leader who would lead people to true spirituality will do so from a heart of love and a mouth that blesses and does not curse others. It will be one of heavenly wisdom, which is obtained in the pages of scripture and not from the human heart or mind.
Be careful who you gather advice from. It matters not who they are. They could be a long time friend, they could be an ‘expert’ in their field… what does God say? Who are you more dependent upon? God or man? This is tangible and salty, but necessary. We are living in times of unprecedented instability, among christians! Things as: confusion; irrational reactions; emotional outbursts; loss of focus, all abound among believers. These are not the way of the children of ‘the way’. We are to KNOW what Jesus wants and simply obey.
Dads, Moms, Pastors, Teachers, Mentors… I plead with you to be wise from God and not wise in yourselves. This wisdom is critical to save our families through the flood of confusion and ungodliness we will all wade into from now on. Submit to the wisdom from above and forsake the carnality of our humanity. We need to be radially obedient and ready to avenge the lies crossing our minds each and every day. Take time to sit down and teach your kids, your grandkids and those who do not have an example before them.
It’s a critical time to live, so live accordingly.