Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 Education that Leads to Wisdom

James 3 :13-18
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” (James 3:13)

Devotion 
In this portion, James poses a question to the Church: “Who is wise and understanding among you?” Here, James begins to separate the two types of wisdom we often encounter: Earthly Wisdom and Heavenly Wisdom. Moreover, James begins to separate the values that we place to each. When we think about Earthly Wisdom we might think about our academic ability or our intelligence. During the time that James wrote this letter, there were many philosophers and academics who had spent their entire life searching for the meaning of life and what it means to be human. Often, when we think about Earthly Wisdom, we think about the status is gives us. We often work exceptionally hard to get good grades and attend good schools because we know that these actions provide us access to better jobs, careers, and standards of living. We may go as far to think that we are better than others due to the grades or credentials we have. As a result, our Earthly Wisdom can quickly turn into bitterness, envy, and selfishness. However, the best thing in life cannot be accessed through Earthly Wisdom. We can only encounter God through the wisdom He bestows onto us. What makes Heavenly Wisdom different from Earthly Wisdom is that Heavenly Wisdom serves God, rather than us. As James says in Verse 17, the wisdom we receive from heaven is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. The wisdom we receive from heaven orients us towards God’s goodness, giving all glory to Him. In fact, the only status that we receive from Heavenly Wisdom is the grace and the mercy to be considered children of God. This is not to say that Earthly Wisdom is not important. We should still strive to learn more about the wonderful world that God has created, however, if we cannot see God’s handiwork in that which we study and learn, then we are learning for the wrong reasons. Following and listening to the wisdom of God leads us to a peaceful and righteous life. It allows us to serve God and His people better. Most importantly, it enables us to discern His will for us on Earth. So, what will we choose earthly wisdom or heavenly wisdom?
                                                  Prayer
Dear Lord, We humbly place ourselves before you , and ask that you pour wisdom in our lives to walk faithfully and make decisions wisely. Fill us with your Holy Spirt  so that we make decisions according to your will. In Jesus name we pray – Amen! 
Thought for the Day
Psalm 119: 105 “Your word is a lamp for my feet , a light on my path”
Mrs. Mercy Babu
St. Johns Mar Thoma Church, New York

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