Month: July 2018

This week we’ll continue with part two of the discussion we started last week from James 1:19-20 which says:

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

We are going to concentrate our conversation today on the detrimental effects of the political discourse in the country.

If James were writing to us today, he might recommend that we avoid CNN or Fox News or any other news outlet because they all create such destructive divisions in society.  They are all trying to sell advertising by appealing to our most primal instincts.

Worse still are sites like youtube which learn your preferences and feed you more of what you like.  If you search for something negative about Donald Trump, you’ll be fed a series of videos, maybe even one that “proves” Trump is actually an alien robot being controlled by Vladimir Putin.

Search for something negative on Hillary Clinton and you’ll be fed a series of videos that “prove” she is really as bad as you think she is.

We keep watching with the hope that the next article, video, tweet, or Facebook story will be THE ONE that finally crushes our political opponents forever.

If we’re only listening to what reinforces our own opinion then we’re definitely not being quick to listen.  And all of the stories that “prove” our point of view make us angry which is exactly the opposite of what James is encouraging us to do.  In fact, it is hard to even imagine a civil conversation about politics these days because these conversations always seem to devolve into yelling and name calling quickly.

So what should a Christian man do today?  How do we respond to this environment and genuinely work toward being righteous men?

Let’s think about this in more detail by answering these questions:

1. Some say it is important to keep up with the news but where should we draw the line in terms of controlling our inputs?
2. Have you ever “won” a political argument?
3. Do you find that most political arguments end with more peace & love or with more anger?
4. What actions can you take today to be more aligned with James’ suggestion to listen more, speak less, and be less angry?

Today’s verse is from Proverbs 19:8:

To acquire wisdom is to love yourself; people who cherish understanding will prosper.

Think back to a time when you made a “rookie mistake” or an error in judgement that harmed yourself or others.  Maybe it was an email sent in haste or possibly a major life decision made without first gathering enough facts.  Now place yourself in that same situation today and think about how you would handle it differently.

Wisdom and understanding explain the difference between poor decisions of the past and better decisions today.  And these better decisions impact us in very positive ways including improved health, better relationships, and success in business.  All of these things make life better for us and those around us, so it is true that “to acquire wisdom is to love yourself”.

Wisdom can either be acquired through direct experience or through the experiences of others.  Wisdom gained through direct experience is often painful since it may involve making mistakes and having to recover from them.  For example, a speeding ticket may help us remember to drive more responsibly, and hurt feelings resulting from words spoken in haste will remind us to be more patient and kind.

On the other hand, gaining wisdom through the experiences of others is typically less painful.  This can be accomplished by reading or listening to wisdom literature, by participating in wisdom-oriented ministries, or by surrounding ourselves with wise people who can help us make good decisions.

On the surface, learning through the experience of others is the easier ways to gain wisdom but  typically, as Stephen Covey would say, these activities are important but not urgent.  Life pulls us in many directions and there always seems to be something urgent that distracts us from the pursuit of wisdom and understanding.

Whether you gain wisdom and understanding through your own experiences or through the experience of others, doing so is one of the best ways to love yourself.

Here are a few questions to help us dig deeper and figure out how we can better prioritize the pursuit of wisdom and understanding:

• Why do you think it is important to God that we do things to love ourselves?
• While it may be true that it is easier to gain wisdom through the experience of others, some would argue that our own experience creates more of a personal impact and, as a result, is more effective in helping us gain wisdom.  What do you think?
• In your experience, what are some of the best ways to gain wisdom and understanding?
• If it is true that gaining wisdom is important but not urgent, what strategies can we employ to make this more of a priority in our lives?