But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.—James 3:17
Often when I think about God’s call that he has for us, I start thinking about the things he wants us to do. I think about how we dream too little about how God could use us. I start to wonder if we’re doing everything that God has for us to do. But somewhere along the line, I start to realize that it isn’t just about the things that God has called us to do, but it is more so about the character that God has called us to have.
When I consider all of the things that I think God wants me to be, I must admit, being considerate generally doesn’t top my list. But James mentions it here as one of the character traits that we must make sure we have about ourselves. You can simply call it good manners, but it is more than that. Being considerate towards others is a part of our obedience towards God.
So, do you want to live out God’s will for your life today? Take out the trash for your wife. Leave a good tip whether the waitress does a good job or not. Let the person in front of you in traffic, even when they are driving like an idiot. It may not seem that complicated, but it doesn’t have to be rocket science to honor God. If we were simply considerate towards others, I think we’d be amazed at how God would use our character for his glory.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
YES! More and more I begin to realize that living a Christian life is not about "Dos and Don'ts," but about who we are.
We so often approach the Word as if it is a rulebook, when I'm coming to realize that it is really a book about the Creator and his relationships to the people of the world.
I know that I have been trying to boil down the Biblical text to some concise set of guidelines about how to be a Christian. In doing this we gut the heart of the Message.
The truth is that there aren't clear lines and rules. Relationships are messy, and they don't fit in our nice neat boxes.
It's really about living authentically moment to moment and being intentional about displaying the qualities James lifts up and caring for the people around us the way the Jesus cares for us.
I think that it is a combination of both our linear, western thinking and our fallen nature that work together to form the misconception that all God wants for us to do is to follow a set of rules. It is definitely tough to overcome it, especially when we tend to teach it in most churches.
Post a Comment