The apostle James offers some valuable inspired insight into human nature which, I believe sheds light into what is happening in America in 2020-21.
James 3:13-16; 17,18 — The King's James Version (KJV); He writes:
13 "Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."
A shortlist of characteristics enumerated in the text indicates how we often approach thorny, troubling issues and situations: bitterness, envy, animosity, lying, selfishness, ego, devilish behavior, sensuality, confusion. evil.
These negative behaviors seem to permeate what we see being acted out on our city streets.
Tensions were already high on one Saturday in April 2021 in Brooklyn, N.Y. after the shooting of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old black man by police. A prominent Washington member of Congress grabbed a megaphone to speak to growing number of protesters. — Here is her “wisdom” on the situation: “we’ve got to stay on the street, and we’ve got to get more active, we’ve got to get more controversial! They’ve got to know that we mean business!”
That kind of angry, bitter, language has turned many “peaceful” protests violent as it did that Saturday in Brooklyn.
We’ve seen how the violence has destroyed private property and businesses primarily in black communities robbing families of their homes and dreams of a better life. Violent protests have become the order of the day while non-violent protests a la Dr. Martin Luther King are unacceptable. Why? As one commentator observed: Because the issue is never the issue. The Revolution is!”
As another example of man’s dogless wisdom, we hear a lot about Critical Race Theory (CRT) and The Black Lives Matter movement (BLM).
At a recent school board meeting in a city in Virginia, parents were speaking out passionately against the teaching of CRT. One woman a parent and recent immigrant from Russia spoke out:
“I grew up under the communist system which promotes the philosophy that the oppressed working class must overthrow the oppressors. The Capitalists! Critical Race Theory exchanges race for class where an oppressed racial minority (people of color) must overthrow their white oppressors and the oppressive system they have created!”
Black Lives Matters (BLM) was co-founded by a person name Patrisse Kahn-Cullors. She is a self-identified trained Marxist (Communist). BLM makes skin color everything. How far we have come since Dr. King aspirations that all people would be: judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character!”
If you say white lives matter too —you are asking for trouble! That statement is “unacceptable” to BLM!
To say racism is wrong is not strong enough — it is sin!
America is not “great” because of the skin color of its founders. America became “great” because the Judeo-Christian Biblical values many of them held — values that are shared by any who will accept them.
America’s history is marred by slavery and discrimination — But those terrible things have marred almost every continent throughout history.
Commentator Dennis Prager: “if it were given the ubiquity of slavery throughout worlds history every country and ethnic group on Earth would be hated. America is hated for its values and its successes”.
So, what has human “wisdom” with all it’s anger, violence, vitriol and hatred accomplished in it’s quest to solve America’s problems!
Recent surveys show murder rate higher than it has been since the 1990’s.
Recent Gallup Poll informs race relations at their lowest in 20 years.
Disappointing, right? Remember the characteristics that James wrote (v13-16) are the driving forces behind so much of what we humans do?
Let’s compare them to what James writes are the characteristics of divine wisdom.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Did you see them — utterly pure, peace-loving, gentle, approachable, tolerant, kind actions, no favoritism or hypocrisy… Peacemakers who find: Peace. I’m no prophet, but I believe if we don’t change from the wisdom that has brought us so much negativity and exchange it for divine wisdom, we will continue to be at war with ourselves — you know how wars end? Death and destruction — innocent people die or are hurt— can’t we end this madness?
Call your state, local, Federal representatives, write to your local newspaper editorial sections — speak to those in your sphere of influence. Christ's salvation is the answer, and it is free to all: Red and Yellow, Black and White. We are precious in his sight!