Listen

What of the wisdom from above? First, it is pure, and then peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good actions, fair, and genuine. Those who make peace sow the seeds of justice by their peaceful acts.

James 3:17-18

Think

In James 3:17-18, it’s wisdom from above that takes center stage. God is offering access to what is pure and peaceful, gentle and merciful, fair and genuine. Sounds dreamy, but what does it look like in real life to possess these marvelous things? Maybe our clue comes from verse 18. When we work to make peace—carving peace out of the loud noise of today’s chaos—we are sowing seeds of justice. And justice by God’s standards is the act of putting things right again.

Could wisdom from above flow more freely among us when we set ourselves toward peacemaking? Peacemaking sounds like a huge task. We may not be able to create world peace right away, but we can set ourselves toward making peace in our lives. Mending points of disconnection between friends. Righting a wrong. Speaking the truth. We can start with small, tangible things in our lives, and make them right again.

Alisha Damron Seruyange

Question to Ponder:

What blocks the way in your life, keeping you from making peace?

Pray

Make me an instrument of your peace, God.

One place I can work toward peace is…

Help me to look today for the tiniest way to make things right according to your goodness, grace, and greatness.

Amen.

Go

Being great starts when we set our hearts toward the ways of God, connecting with God, and then loving the world more like God loves.