{"id":31326,"date":"2022-09-10T15:25:57","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:25:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/how-to-spot-false-wisdom-in-your-ministry\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T15:25:57","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:25:57","slug":"how-to-spot-false-wisdom-in-your-ministry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/how-to-spot-false-wisdom-in-your-ministry\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Spot False Wisdom in Your Ministry"},"content":{"rendered":"
Alex Block photo – Unsplash <\/p>\n

By Tony Merida<\/em><\/p>\n

We all want to be wise. But when you think of a wise person, what image comes to mind? Do you think of an intellectual powerhouse? Or do you think of someone gentle and lowly\u2014someone who deals with conflict in a humble way?<\/p>\n

The book of James gets at the nature of wisdom not by viewing it theoretically, as if it\u2019s some abstract concept studied by the intellectual elite, but by viewing it practically and relationally, as something lived by ordinary people in their everyday lives. He says that the wise person is gentle and displays godly fruit.  <\/p>\n

So how can you spot a wise person? He is the meek\/gentle one. The meek person submits to God\u2019s Word and lives for God\u2019s glory. Meekness is not weakness! <\/p>\n

The meek person may well be a very strong individual, but she is humble and welcoming, under control, operating with a genuine sensitivity to the Lord. <\/p>\n

You find a certain rest when you are with a gentle person because they are so full of grace. Ken Sande says peacemakers are those who \u201cbreathe grace.\u201d<\/p>\n

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This doesn\u2019t mean they’re pushovers or that they avoid necessary conflict, but it does mean they handle conflict with gentleness and humility. <\/p>\n

Would anyone dream of coming to you for help in resolving their conflict? Would they consider you a person who has the traits of a peacemaker? <\/p>\n

Would they consider you wise\u2014as James defines wise\u2014to shepherd them through a conflict going on in their life? <\/p>\n

Such character flows from our union with Christ and is supercharged as we have regular and rich communion with Christ. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s in and through Christ that we live out true wisdom in a life of gentleness and in a life of beautiful deeds toward others. <\/p>\n

False wisdom, in contrast, is not marked by gentleness and peace but sinful cravings and quarrels. James says \u201cbitter envy and selfish ambition\u201d are the source of many relational conflicts. <\/p>\n

Envy means you want something that isn\u2019t yours, and so you get bitter about it (Galatians 5:20). <\/p>\n

Selfish ambition is a term found in ancient Greek documents to speak of partisan zeal. When you have a headstrong agenda for some thing or cause, and if your desires are unmet, it can lead to conflict.<\/p>\n

So the battle is in the heart. But we too often think our problems are caused by external factors. <\/p>\n

To be sure, a change in circumstances may definitely help with relational spats, but the primary problem, as mentioned previously, is that our passions are at war within us. <\/p>\n

If you have ever watched M. Night Shyamalan\u2019s film The Village then you have seen an illustration of this. <\/p>\n

The people of the village attempt to shield themselves from the wickedness of society, so they create their own insulated community. <\/p>\n

But they soon find out evil still exists within their utopian world. That\u2019s because the war is not out \u201cout there\u201d in society, the problem is \u201cin here\u201d in our hearts. <\/p>\n

Or take your family vacations. Ever had a heated argument at the beach, in the mountains, on a road trip, or on a cruise ship? <\/p>\n

I call it \u201csanctification through vacation\u201d as these moments (as good as they are) can often lead to moments of conflict. <\/p>\n

How about during the holidays? Why are these times often hard? Might it be that James is correct? <\/p>\n

Our cravings for a hassle-free life, for well-behaved kids, for worldly success, for comfort and rest, go unmet, and we get angry about it. <\/p>\n

Now, not all conflicts come from bad motives. It\u2019s not wrong to want to rest, or to have well-behaved kids, or to do well in your vocation. <\/p>\n

Sometimes, disagreements exist because of a difference in values, goals, or giftings in the pursuit of something. This may lead to anger and arguing, but it doesn\u2019t have to. <\/p>\n

Sometimes a conflict may come from poor communication, or from the challenge of having limited resources.<\/p>\n

Other times, a needed conflict arises on a societal level as a way to signal that something very wrong has happened and needs to be righted. <\/p>\n

These kinds of challenges can be opportunities to grow, show grace, and seek justice. <\/p>\n

But often our conflicts arise from a ruling desire in our heart. Dr. Robert Jones gives a helpful list of questions to ask for detecting an \u201cinordinate desire.\u201d <\/p>\n