Read James 3:17-18
One of the things that the COVID pandemic did in my life was to turn my minor interest in houseplants into a full-blown can’t-see-out-the-windows greenhouse-level obsession with plants. Tending to plant life is something I never thought I would get into, living in Milwaukee with no outdoor space, and has been one of the highlights of this bleak pandemic season for me.
Digging in dirt and taking care of plants has been reminding me of one my favorite classes in school where I learned about the importance of reading the Bible through an agrarian lens. Because the Bible was written to an agrarian society, there is a deep significance to the language and metaphors that the Biblical writers use when talking about the land. We see this in many ways throughout Scripture: when the people of God are disobedient, their crops fail (Leviticus 26:16, Jeremiah 12:13, Micah 6:15), God demonstrates His blessings through the land (Genesis 26:12, Matthew 5:45), and the land is even supposed to sabbath, just like humans (Exodus 23:11)!
This passage for today’s reading uses some of this agrarian language. In a section where he is talking about wisdom, James writes that when we plant seeds of peace, what grows is righteousness. And not just a few small righteousness plants, it’s a full-blown can’t-see-out-the-windows greenhouse-level harvest of righteousness.
I look around our world and see people who are grasping for “wisdom,” hoping it will bring them peace. Instagram influencers, TikTok hacks, self-help books, and podcasts are selling us quick-fix schemes to repair our relationships and get ahead in life. But this sort of “wisdom” (v. 15) doesn’t take into account an important agrarian lesson: plants don’t grow overnight. Heavenly wisdom, like James writes about, takes time to take root and grow. Plant peace (v. 18), add a little humility as fertilizer (v.13), weed out envy and selfish ambition (v. 16), and wisdom will follow.
For Personal Reflection: Looking at the list of qualities godly wisdom contains, which strike you the hardest? What would you say is the connection between godly wisdom and peace? Why?
✧ Nativity Building: Place Mary, Joseph and an angel figure across the room from the stable. God sent an angel to tell Mary and Joseph that Jesus would be born to Mary.
by Liz Carver
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