It's Not Good

It's Not Good

Blessings friends, our time in James is moving along great. He's helping us learn how to recognize worldly wisdom and some of the ugliness that comes with it. James is making a distinction between the the outcome of worldly and heavenly wisdom (James 3). And the same principles applies to faith or wisdom:

Input determines output.
Roots determine fruit.
Source dictates service.
Origin dictates outcome.

The output or outcome of worldly wisdom is... self centered envy and jealousy.

Envy and jealousy are some cruel rascals. [They] delight in torturing [their] victims by starving the joy in them --- quenching the joy in others, through them --- and providing a banquet for anxiety, anger and bitterness to feed and manipulate their feelings until they consume every ounce of life they once had. [They] will make life about us... that we avoid seeking what God's personal and loving view, to either diminish or pridefully exalt how we view ourselves. Jealously will shame us for being or having less than another, but envy will demand we deserve better from everyone but ourselves. They will cause us to either underestimate or overestimate our value and vision of the things we see, hear and know.

Jealously and envy are two nasty spirits that make a serious big deal about codling and pitying self, to purposely derail the believers focus on the things that really matter, now and for eternity, that they may be stranded on the journey and wallowing in their own self-seeking interest. Don't fall into [their] trap and be consumed with [their] ugly spirit. The sad thing is [they] disguise themselves as wisdom so [their] subjects will ignore or overlook the damage