How to be wise .

Michael Collum

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How to be wise .

James 3:13-18 (The Message)

Live Well, Live Wisely

13-16Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here's what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It's the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn't wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn't wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn't wisdom. It's the furthest thing from wisdom—it's animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you're trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others' throats. 17-18Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.



I find this passage of use quite often . especially on the internet . a good meditation all around . and really true to life . I like James . very gospel :)
 
How to be wise

Even in the Old testament times, that was considered a priority:


Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding
Pro 4:7

My second most favorite verse :)
 
Putting that scripture on my Facebook. :)

(just a kind advice - when you read The Message, you should always back it up with a bible that you use to study with. The Message paraphrases a LOT of things and can twist scripture around. I'd be careful!)
 
Thank you Katie, and also I appreciate your advice regarding paraphrase translations .

In this case, it pretty much summed up what i thought of the passage in the KJV . this passage can really rile people in a translation .

For example

14But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

This is totally an indictment of the heresy hunter movement and a few others who think it's their job or ministry to be a backseat driver in everyone's lives . which it is not . And also it says .. well you may think you have to have doctrinal purity before unity .. but the bible says .. if you're divided . then you're all automatically wrong . even if you sound right .

just wanted to focus on the basic message and be more application driven . and not get into church politics . and such .

and i felt more "lead" to use the message in this case also .


God bless

-Michael
 
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