Day 36: Tuesday 3/31

READ: James 3:13-18 (revisit)

Are any of you wise and understanding? Show that your actions are good with a humble lifestyle that comes from wisdom. However, if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, then stop bragging and living in ways that deny the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above. Instead, it is from the earth, natural and demonic. Wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and everything that is evil. What of the wisdom from above? First, it is pure, and then peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good actions, fair, and genuine. Those who make peace sow the seeds of justice by their peaceful acts.

REFLECT 

Tuesday of Holy Week, and James calls us back to wisdom. Not the wisdom that jockeys for position, but the wisdom that builds God’s peaceable kingdom. Jesus is in the temple, teaching with authority that threatens the religious establishment. Their wisdom is earthly — protecting power, maintaining control. His wisdom is from above — pure, peace-loving, full of mercy. We know which side of this we want to be on.

RESPOND 

Where are you trying to keep peace (or just avoid conflict) instead of making peace? Name it and choose God’s peace.

PRAY 

God, make us peacemakers. Give us wisdom to sow peace and reap your righteousness. Amen.