But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace. [James 3:17–18]
Again and again the Christ follower is invited to seek (and ask for) wisdom. Not for more knowledge or influence, but for wisdom “from above.” For that maturing, developed sense of how to apply Christlikeness to everyday life and problems. This “wisdom from above” originates from God and his Word and is personified in the character and actions of Jesus. And it can certainly be caught from other godly, wise people.
Notice how this wisdom is not theoretical but ultimately behavioral and spiritual. Take a moment and chew on the characteristics of “wisdom from above”: Pure…peace-loving…gentle…compliant…full of mercy…(full of) good fruits…unwavering…without pretense.
For your reading accompaniment
I wish I had found this last week with Father’s Day on Sunday. This piece (you have to watch the video) is a beautiful number by Art Garfunkel and his adult son Art, Jr. They sing the tender “Father and Son” by Cat Stevens. Enjoy this.
The Serenity Prayer—for today
My father was not a praying man, yet one day I found this prayer taped to his office door at the hospital. I guess when you’re a surgeon serenity is vital as you seek the wisdom to know the difference between what you can change or heal and what you cannot.
A good friend of mine who has reaped the benefits of Alcoholics Anonymous speaks glowingly of the benefits of this prayer. In these stress-filled days, most of us could probably benefit from the discipline of a model prayer that both asks for and reminds us of God’s peace and wisdom amid life’s turmoil and uncertainty.
There is not a lot of serenity in the air, is there? Israel and Iran are lobbing missiles at each other. Minnesota lawmakers and spouses are being gunned down in cold blood (with another 45 people on the gunman’s hitlist). War rages on between Ukraine and Russia. Political divisions here in the States have gone beyond angry rhetoric to angry violence. What can be done amid all this turmoil and strife? Turn off the news? That’s a start. Get off social media? Indeed. Speak up, write, be an instrument of peace? With God’s wisdom, go for it. And most certainly pray. Not only for the messy strife that is swirling everywhere but also for the benefit of one’s emotional state and psyche. And one could do a lot worse than pray the serenity prayer…on a daily basis.
The Serenity Prayer—its origin
Theologian and pastor Reinhold Niebuhr was the author of this prayer who served as a professor at Union Theological Seminary for over 30 years. The Serenity Prayer was borne out of Niebuhr’s experiences during two world wars and a global depression. He originally wrote the beginning of the prayer as “Father, give us courage to change what must be altered, serenity to accept what cannot be helped, and the insight to know the one from the other.” He later rewrote it in the now familiar way: “God, grant me the serenity to accept…” In the 1940s, The Serenity Prayer was introduced as part of the AA program.
The Serenity Prayer—itself (full version)
“God, grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can; and the Wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as the pathway to peace. Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it. Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will; and that I may be reasonable happy in this life, and supremely happy with Him in the next. Amen.”
One survivor!
Did you see the video of the crash? And the one of the man walking away from it? Whoa!
A London-bound Air India jet crashed into a residential area immediately after take-off, killing all but one of the 242 passengers and crew members and not a few people on the ground. The survivor is a 40-year-old British man.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a businessman returning home to see his wife and four-year-old son, said the section he was sitting in landed near the ground and did not make contact with the building. “When the door broke and I saw there was some space, I tried to get out of there and I did. No one could have got out from the opposite side, which was towards the wall, because it crashed there.”
The Indian-born Brit said he could not believe that he came out of the wreckage alive. “I saw people dying in front of my eyes—the air hostesses, and two people I saw near me,” he said. “For a moment, I felt like I was going to die too, but when I opened my eyes and looked around, I realized I was alive. I still can’t believe how I survived. I walked out of the rubble.”
(I am not sure, but that guy may wrestle with survivor’s guilt the rest of his life. “Why me?” Perhaps by God’s grace he can do a lot of good for others with the life he was spared.)
One winner!
In golf’s U.S. Open
American J.J. Spaun won the U.S. Open in a rain-soaked final day at the Oakmont Country Club golf course near Pittsburgh. He drained an amazing 64-foot putt on the final, 72nd hole to win by two strokes over Robert McIntyre of Scotland.
In hockey’s Stanley Cup
I’m not a huge hockey fan, but from what I hear this rematch between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers is supposedly one of the greatest Stanley Cup Finals ever! Florida is on the cusp of winning it all. Hockey and Florida have never quite jived for me.
In the NBA’s championship series
I am writing this blog with the Oklahoma City team leading the Indiana Pacers in the background on my TV. Has the Pacers’ magic run out? I still wouldn’t bet against them.
Podcasts I’m listening to
This one, on the power of memorizing Scripture from John Mark Comer; and another, on the different views of the End Times with Kymberli Cook, Sam Storms, and Darrell Bock. They discuss amillennialism, postmillennialism, and premillennialism—while affirming their shared belief in the return of Christ and the fulfillment of God’s kingdom.
What do we make of the plethora of recent Catholic conversions? I enjoyed this episode from Justin Brierly on “The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God.”
