God Grant Me The Wisdom To Know The Difference

I taught a women’s class for a year or so. The women had several things in common. Most of the women were Moms. They loved God deeply. They worked hard both in their homes and their places of work. Many of the women admitted to struggling with fear and anxiety. Fear of disease, natural events, car accidents, and wars that threatened to harm their families. Anxiety over political maneuvering that challenged their convictions and way of life. Fear and anxiety is known to take up residence in the nooks and crannies of our hearts.

Frequently, I challenged the women to turn off their televisions and seek God’s peace through prayer and Scripture. Media drives our fears. I am reminded of this challenge often during this political season. I have had to make a choice to turn off the television and read the news less often. Otherwise, I might be lured into fear that God’s Kingdom is at stake through the presidential elections. Talk about anxiety inducing.

The good news is that God’s reign is never at stake. God does not need us or a politician to establish the Kingdom or to make it successful. Jesus had that job and He did it perfectly.

God wants us our partnership. Partnering with God means we must follow in Jesus’ footsteps and join God in the mission of reconciliation of a lost world. It means we give up pride, comfort, social standing, and our “right” to be angry or dismissive.

In The Divine Conspiracy, Dallas Willard says, “To gain deeper understanding of our eternal kind of life in God’s present kingdom, we must be sure to understand what a kingdom is. Every last one of us has a “kingdom”— or a “queendom,” or a “government”— a realm that is uniquely our own, where our choice determines what happens. Here is a truth that reaches into the deepest part of what it is to be a person.” Willard further explains that our goal as disciples of Christ is to submit our will to God’s, bringing our kingdom into harmony with God’s kingdom. If all disciples are doing that, imagine the change in our world! Do you wonder what would that look like?

Willard uses the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and the Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6) to describe this harmony of kingdom – a challenging example.

I tell the children in our children’s ministry that we need to test everything through the Fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23.

A new favorite is James 3:13-18. In this passage, James describes two kinds of wisdom. Earthly wisdom “harbors bitter envy and selfish ambition” and leads to “disorder and every evil practice”. Heavenly wisdom is “pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere”. Heavenly wisdom – Kingdom wisdom.

Are you looking for a mentor in your Christian walks? Does the person exhibit earthly wisdom or Kingdom wisdom?

Don’t know who to vote for? Earthly wisdom or Kingdom wisdom?

Need to make a hard life decision? Earthly wisdom or Kingdom wisdom?

Wisdom is a key trait of discipleship and leadership. James asks, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” (James 3:13) This is a challenge to every disciple of Christ who wants to be in harmony with God’s kingdom.

Shannon Rains
Children and Family Minister
Kingwood Church of Christ
Humble, TX