Word@Work James32 - James 3:16
Published: Wed, 03/25/09
Word@Work from BeaconLight
HEART TROUBLE
James 3:16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. (NIV)
It used to be said in London, that you could wait a long time for a bus, and then three would come together. Likewise, one evil rarely comes without the company of others. The previous verses tell us that all evil has its origin in the Devil, who seeds the world with it (James 3:14-15). The most dangerous seeds may look innocuous, but are small enough to penetrate the human heart and ferment a desire for evil. The discontent that comes from envying others and the greed to get more, fuelled by selfish ambition - these are a dangerously heady cocktail. Today's verse says that every social disruption and personal wicked action have their source in the inflamed human heart.
So James agrees with Jesus (cf Matt 15:19) and St Paul (cf Gal 5:19-21) - the heart that is not satisfied in the love of God will seek its own satisfaction at the expense of personal dignity, self control, shared immorality and public disorder. The world manages to call such things 'adult' and 'mature', useful for business or essential for relaxation: such descriptions are untrue, but they fool most people. Indeed some can hardly imagine a working life without intrigue, backstabbing, half truths and the relentless pursuit of career advantage. But mercifully, God's way is so different. It leads to peace and productivity, instead of sin and spin.
We must not be surprised if we work alongside people whose values are so different from the pattern set by Jesus. We are all conditioned by our appetites and ambitions, but without Christ we have only a limited ability to resist the tidal wave of inner desires. That is why the Christian must not be naive, somehow assuming that everything in the world will make way for righteousness ... it will not. We are in a battle against external spiritual forces of wickedness (cf Eph 6:10-13); but perhaps the biggest battle is to master our inner desires that are in opposition to the Spirit of God (cf Gal 5:17). So, before we contribute further to the instability of our working environment and slip into wicked ways, let us review our inner desires and deal with those that are in competition with God's Spirit for the right to have first place. If we do so, everybody will benefit - and God will be glorified.
Prayer: Holy God. I know that You have called me to be holy, like you. Yet I often find that I am unable to control my inner desires. So I need Your help in establishing the necessary disciplines into my life, and for Your sovereignty to reign in my life. I ask it so that I may enjoy Your presence more and that others may see the life of Christ operating in me during the working day For His Name's sake. Amen.
You can read the verses around this Bible passage from the Internet Bible: - in English, and many other languages
It used to be said in London, that you could wait a long time for a bus, and then three would come together. Likewise, one evil rarely comes without the company of others. The previous verses tell us that all evil has its origin in the Devil, who seeds the world with it (James 3:14-15). The most dangerous seeds may look innocuous, but are small enough to penetrate the human heart and ferment a desire for evil. The discontent that comes from envying others and the greed to get more, fuelled by selfish ambition - these are a dangerously heady cocktail. Today's verse says that every social disruption and personal wicked action have their source in the inflamed human heart.
So James agrees with Jesus (cf Matt 15:19) and St Paul (cf Gal 5:19-21) - the heart that is not satisfied in the love of God will seek its own satisfaction at the expense of personal dignity, self control, shared immorality and public disorder. The world manages to call such things 'adult' and 'mature', useful for business or essential for relaxation: such descriptions are untrue, but they fool most people. Indeed some can hardly imagine a working life without intrigue, backstabbing, half truths and the relentless pursuit of career advantage. But mercifully, God's way is so different. It leads to peace and productivity, instead of sin and spin.
We must not be surprised if we work alongside people whose values are so different from the pattern set by Jesus. We are all conditioned by our appetites and ambitions, but without Christ we have only a limited ability to resist the tidal wave of inner desires. That is why the Christian must not be naive, somehow assuming that everything in the world will make way for righteousness ... it will not. We are in a battle against external spiritual forces of wickedness (cf Eph 6:10-13); but perhaps the biggest battle is to master our inner desires that are in opposition to the Spirit of God (cf Gal 5:17). So, before we contribute further to the instability of our working environment and slip into wicked ways, let us review our inner desires and deal with those that are in competition with God's Spirit for the right to have first place. If we do so, everybody will benefit - and God will be glorified.
Prayer: Holy God. I know that You have called me to be holy, like you. Yet I often find that I am unable to control my inner desires. So I need Your help in establishing the necessary disciplines into my life, and for Your sovereignty to reign in my life. I ask it so that I may enjoy Your presence more and that others may see the life of Christ operating in me during the working day For His Name's sake. Amen.
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