Tuesday James 3:17-18

Prayer: O God, give us discernment and the courage to stand up for the truths in your Word. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Courage to yield

(Adapted from Christ in Our Home – daily devotions)

¹⁸ And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

If we are rooted in Christ, it means that we are peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits (see v. 17).  In reading other parts of James, I might think that James speaks with judgment. He tells us to be strong in our faith and to stand up in the face of wrong. Yet today, we are told to make peace and yield? What does this mean?

Today if you have an opinion that is different, you might be subject to “cancellation.” If you question the facts of say, Climate Change, your Facebook account might be disabled. If you are not sure that people born male should be playing in female sports and ask about it, you might be cancelled too. Society has become severely divided about a number of things and if you disagree or even want to enter the debate, you might be estranged from your “friends.” We hear about fighting and cancelling and never backing down. What does this mean to you? How do you stand when you read, “…a willingness to yield?”

Have we lost our ability to make peace? How do you make peace without compromising? Then are there things that you can’t compromise on? How do you show real love for another person without peace and gentleness? How do you show love even though they believe differently than you do?

I think we need some leadership too in the church. Leadership that shows how we are to take a stand for Christ. Do we really abandon the truths of God’s love for secular values? Do we deny that God’s love is the only true love? That God is the only true God? I know that I am often confused as to where the church is going. Are we supposed to compromise our faith just to get along? So that we won’t be cancelled?

Prayer: “God of peace, give us courage to listen, to love, to yield. In Jesus’ name.”

James 3:17-18

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. ¹⁸ And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.