In our journey of faith, there will be destructive forces of envy and selfish ambition that we need to overcome. Paul had developed Godly sincerity and had put his former life aside. Similarly, we need to develop Godly sincerity and lay aside anything that traps us in worldly ways.
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. James 3:14-15
James’s words in this passage provide a stark contrast to the previous devotional about sincerity and godly simplicity. Here, James warns against the dangers of harboring bitterness, envy, and self-seeking motives in our hearts.
Bitter envy and self-seeking are attitudes that can poison relationships and undermine the unity of believers. Bitter envy can drive a person to be compelled to do this to prove they have arrived. James urges against boasting and lying against the truth if these negative traits reside within us. Instead, he highlights the origins of such attitudes, asserting that they do not come from God but are rooted in earthly, sensual, and even demonic sources.
We don’t want to act like we don’t have envy and self-seeking and hide those attitudes and give them room to grow. We should not accommodate those attitudes nor excuse them. Otherwise, they will continue to stay lodged in the life of a believer and he/she people will remain bound by it.
If Paul had selfish ambitions to be known or any lust for power, he could have stayed in Judaism and played church and pharisaical title games of his day. Paul’s religion in times past, had grabbed his heart and attention to the degree that he was willing to persecute people for it.
After Paul’s conversion, he realized that His religious ambitions had blinded him from the truth. He had become more concerned about protecting his territory by throwing believers in prison rather than hearing the truth that could set him free from his prison of piety!
Are you territorial or possessive? What territory or relationship are you trying to protect for yourself?
Paul tells us in Philippians 3:2-11 that “…what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ..”. Paul had allowed God to strip him of all worldly passions, his cruel activities, and earthy desires because he had found that nothing else satisfied.
Paul became a different man after meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus. In 2Corinthians 1:12-14 he tells the church that they are his boast now. He wasn’t boasting in his accomplishments or his success anymore, but he was boasting in the lives of those whom he had led to Christ and shepherded. He was speaking as a father to the church.
The passage in James 3:16-17 serves as a cautionary reminder to examine our hearts and motives honestly. Are we driven by envy or selfish ambition in our interactions with others? Are our actions and words rooted in God’s wisdom and love, or are they influenced by worldly desires and impulses? This passage is a great passage to memorize and from time-to- time use it as a plumbline to examine our hearts and actions.
James encourages us to seek wisdom from above, which is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere (James 3:17). This wisdom guides us to cultivate relationships marked by humility, love, and genuine concern for others.
In conclusion, Godly sincerity is developed by laying aside our own selfish ambitions and desires. We need to consider everything as a loss that could be an obstacle in following Jesus wholeheartedly and in loving other genuinely. Lord, help us to become genuine people. Examine our hearts and take out anything that is impure or fake. Help us to be real, simple and sincere people.
This is really good. Thanks for sharing!
Praise God! Thanks Masielle! I hope all is well!