That's not the Way

I have been reading the book of James for a few days. I love to read this straightforward book of the Bible in different versions, it helps me...
Here are two versions of James 3:13-18. Verse 18 I have had as my tag this year, God is leading me on in simple and profound ways.
 

New Living Translation

True Wisdom Comes from God

¹³ If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. ¹⁵ For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. ¹⁶ For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. ¹⁸ And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

The Message

Live Well, Live Wisely

^13-16 Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn’t wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn’t wisdom. It’s the furthest thing from wisdom—it’s animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats.

^17-18 Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.


A Few Thoughts

Our generation is busy. But doing what in what way? Technology really helps us out in taking the load of caring for ourselves and our family off of our backs with dishwashers, laundry detergent and other household and garden care. We now have all kinds of time to do...

Honestly, think about the things you do, what you have to do, what you get paid to do, and what you volunteer to do. Now weed out all the things good and bad that you do out of jealousy and/or selfish ambition. Yes it counts if is ambition for your kids. If your drive did not include these motives, would your life be so full. 

The hours at work... would they be so long if you were just providing for your family or doing what you were hired to do.
The practices for sports... would they still trample family and faith time, if you played only for the love of the game.
The networking or fellowship with people... would it be so spread thin if giving love in the relationship were the ONLY goal.
There are other perspectives to even these activities that swing the pendulum the other way, but you get the idea.

Our God, the Lover of our Soul, The Way, The Truth, and The Life came to show us a more excellent way. 

Are we adhering to His Way or ours?

Are we living by His Wisdom or ours?

Are we living His Life or ours?

There is only ONE WAY!

James 3:18,
Camelot