Love’s Opposite Attracts Evil
By Barron Greenwalt
In the Bible, James (3:16) tells us that “where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.” Therefore, selfishness is the opposite of love and it breeds evil. So how do we change it? James gives us the answer in the very next verses (17-18), “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteous God is love.” The answer is “seek wisdom from above”; we pray!
When we have self-seeking motives in our hearts, our thinking and our actions become contrary to God, allowing evil to have reign in our lives as well as the lives of those in our realm of influence. Sometimes, our selfishness is such a part of what we have become that we do not even realize certain behaviors as selfishness. We must remember that we can do nothing in and of ourselves, only His grace can work out the selfish motives of the flesh. Again, the answer is pray for wisdom; ask God to reveal hidden selfish motives in our hearts and to help us change our ways. Then, and only then, can we peaceably live a life that yields and sows the good fruits of righteousness.
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Reblogged this on Neeter's Notes and Quotes and commented:
Live Well, Live Wisely~ Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do:
James 3:13, 17-18(MSG) Do 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… Real 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.
v.15-18(VOICE) The wisdom of this world should never be mistaken for heavenly wisdom; it originates below in the earthly realms, with the demons. Any place where you find jealousy and selfish ambition, you will discover chaos and evil thriving under its rule. Heavenly wisdom centers on purity, peace, gentleness, deference, mercy, and other good fruits untainted by hypocrisy. The seed that flowers into righteousness will always be planted in peace by those who embrace peace.
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