James 3: 13-4.3, 7-8a v 8a “Come close to God, and God will come close to you.”
If you are wise and understand God’s ways prove it by how you live, do good work and be humble. If you are bitterly jealous, have selfish ambition, don’t cover the truth with boasting and lying. Jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. The wisdom from above is peace loving, gentle, shows no favoritism and is always sincere. You are jealous of what others have, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. So, humble yourself before God. Come close to God, and God will come close to you.
This week is full of firsts. The first day going to school, the first day wearing new clothes, the first day with school buses taking up space in the morning commute. The first coffee of the day, the first time waking up with the hole in your life as you buried a loved one yesterday. How are you feeling about the new you that emerges from experiencing all these first this week? Closer to God’s wisdom that is gentle and shown in random acts of kindness or selfish jealousy and anger?
In understanding or wondering where you stand this week realize the transforming power of a wise and peace-loving God. Invite God along for the ride. Come close to God and God will come close to you.
Prayer: Heavenly Father who invites us all to stand with Him, in peace and love be near us this week as we go out into the world of firsts. We are sorry for the jealous thoughts and words of anger and choose to leave them behind. Guide us to peaceful and gentle living in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
CrossWalk 