James 3:16: For Where Jealousy And Selfish Ambition Exist, There Will Be Disorder And Every Vile Practice.

James 3:16
[16] For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. (ESV)

I love fish aquariums. From time to time I have had various kinds of tropical fish of many different varieties. I love angel fish. I love cichlids. Both of these varieties of fish have inherent beauty. They grow to a fairly large size also. As much as I love them both I have discovered something. They cannot both be in the same tank.

Cichlids will eat angel fish. At the very least they will harass them until they die. So, I now know from experience that I either have a tank with cichlids only, or I have a tank with other fish, like angel fish, and no cichlids. Cichlids do not play nice with other fish. The only fish I can put with cichlids is other cichlids.

So, what does a fish tank have to do with today's verse? Imagine the body of Christ like a huge aquarium. The outside world is watching. They are hoping to see us behaving in cooperative ways like the New Testament instructs us to. But there are deadly fish in the body of Christ. They are people who are full of jealousy and selfish ambition. James describes what happens if we allow them in the tank.

Jealous and selfish people work their way into churches. They get onto committees. They become deacons. They even become pastors. After a while all of the good in the church is overcome by these aggressive fish. James says that where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

If you are in the body of Christ, people are watching you just like a person observes fish in a tank. Put away jealousy and selfish ambition or you will be like a cichlid, destroying the good that God wants to accomplish.

Comments

Romans 8:18: For I Consider That The Sufferings Of This Present Time Are Not Worth Comparing

Romans 8:18 [18] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (ESV) Perspective. What an important word. Let's be honest. We do not like the idea of suffering. We will do almost anything to avoid any kind of suffering. Some churches have gone so far as to preach against the idea of suffering, declaring it to not be a part of the true believer's life. Paul is not shy about the topic. Paul uses the sufferings of this present time as a means to consider the greater glory that awaits us. Perspective. Paul is not in any way attempting to diminish our suffering. A view toward eternity puts our suffering in a proper understanding. Yes, our suffering is terrible. In the grand scheme of eternity it is not even worth comparison. Maybe you are thinking that Paul does not know what he is talking about when it comes to suffering. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul describes countless beatings, often near death,

Romans 15:20-21: And Thus I Make It My Ambition To Preach The Gospel, Not Where Christ Has Already Been Named

Romans 15:20–21 [20] and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, [21] but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” (ESV) We need to be reminded continually that the message of the Gospel is intended to move all across the world. Jesus said that his followers were to preach the Gospel, starting in Jerusalem, and continue preaching the Gospel to the whole world. Christians have not always been good at delivering the Gospel message as far and as often as they should. In the first century church it took intense persecution to motivate the disciples in Jerusalem to bring the Gospel to Judea and Samaria. Once the disciples fled to new regions they shared the Gospel wherever they went. Would the disciples have preached the Gospel without the persecution? We may never know. Some probably would have stayed in their co

James 2:18: I Will Show You My Faith By My Works

James 2:18 [18] But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (ESV) There are certain things in life that go together. Peanut butter and jelly. Double stuff Oreo cookies and milk. Faith and works. James raises the point that someone might argue that faith and works can be separated. "One will say, "You have faith and I have works." Is it ok for works to be separated from faith? James is making the argument that faith and works are not to be separated. James is saying to the one who has faith only, with no works, that he wants them to see his faith by his works. In other words, if you are going to claim to have faith, but have no works, you have no evidence of faith. If I am to believe that a person has genuine faith I can only see that by their works. Faith brings action. There are so many people to claim to have some kind of faith, yet when it comes down to it, their

Every Day Devotion

Search This Blog