SOAP: James 3:17-18
S: But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in shalom by those who make shalom.
O&A: My first thought: Isaiah 55:8-9, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." <~ The wisdom from above: from Elohim/God as dwelling in heaven. Abba's definition of wisdom.
Next thought: Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
I realize that I break these passages down into word studies for myself because I want to better understand Abba. I look at words with my own understanding, and then I have to search Him and see if what I understand is what He means. His ways and thoughts are absolutely higher than mine, and I praise Him all the more for it! I'm considering how I counsel my sons, or if my husband, or a friend or sister in faith comes to me for counsel, and how I often have to make myself respond in ways that would be pleasing to Adonai, because sometimes my flesh wants to react in an unrighteous manner (whether out of anger, disappointment, pride, whatever). I'm just being really real here, like Brenda said this morning.
"Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in shalom/peace by those who make shalom."
Fruit: used of men's deeds as exponents of their hearts
Of righteousness: the state of him who is such as he ought to be, righteousness; the condition acceptable to Elohim/God
Make: to be the author of, to cause
Peace/shalom: where harmony prevails, in a peaceful mind
Sown: that seed which produces
Peace/shalom: where harmony prevails, in a peaceful mind
Do I make shalom??? Do I sow shalom??? ((Insert lo-o-o-ong pause here as I meditate on this...)) The truth is, no, not always. I hate to admit it, but it's freeing to admit it and repent of it, but I have been a sower of discord at times, but I have also sown in shalom/peace. Boy. Isn't this exactly what we SOAPed about yesterday?? About speaking blessings and cursings? Eek. ((Another long pause)) Abba is really correcting me today. "Wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy".. what I'm hearing here is wisdom that is WITHOUT SIN. It is kadosh/holy/set-apart.
P: Abba, my Elohim and my righteousness, I stand in awe of You. Abba, I'll get right to it: I repent of having sown seeds of discord, and for not always properly reflecting You, and I am so thankful that You are the author of peace, and righteousness, and life! I want the wisdom that is from above, that is from YOU, that is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy... I hunger for Your word, and thirst for the righteousness of Yeshua. I praise You, Abba, for the everlasting wisdom that we are able to learn from in Your scriptures, so that we aren't reliant upon our own understanding. B'shem Yeshua, Amein.
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