By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo
James 3:14-16 “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” – NIV
James compares two kinds of wisdom: godly and worldly wisdom. Worldly wisdom is characterized by bitter envy selfish motives, pride, leading to disorder and every form of evil practice. He calls it earthly, unspiritual and demonic. It doesn’t come from heaven, but from Satan who inspires all these traits in people. Whenever you see people who claim to be wise, and yet manifest them, they are not wise in God’s sight.
Not all that appears wise and appealing, is from God. There are many intelligent people, shrewd, skilled in deception and manipulation as they commit evil of all kinds. Others may applaud their ‘wisdom’ as heroic. As long as it promotes fights, divisions, hatred and other evils, that’s demonic wisdom, because Satan’s mission is to steal, kill and destroy.
James says no one should boast about such kind of wisdom. It denies the truth and righteousness as it uses lies to promote wicked schemes. It is what characterises much of our world today as people plan evil and work towards bringing others down using their positions, intellect and other advantages. Desist from such.
Proverbs 1:10, 15-16 “My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them…my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; for their feet rush into evil, they are swift to shed blood.”
Shalom children of God.