Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:13)
WE ALL WANT THE GOOD LIFE. Whether we are rich, poor, or somewhere in between, part of our natural human desire is to have a good life. Exactly what we believe the good life to be, though, can vary greatly from person to person. Often, modern marketing in our twenty-first-century culture reinforces our desire for the good life and helps us define what it is. One recent advertisement I saw portrayed the good life as including health, wealth, and happiness. Subtle messaging? Not at all, the company was very clearly trying to lead their potential customer down a path to their product.
James 3:13 points us toward what it means to have a good life as a Christ follower. It does not define the good life according to the worlds thinking, but according to God’s. The good life, then, is a life lived with wisdom and understanding demonstrated by deeds done in humility. The world tells us the good life is about what we get; God tells us the good life is about how we live.
God’s desire is to shape us with His wisdom, understanding, and love and then use us to help reshape our world. This kind of good life comes through dynamic relationship of giving and receiving with God our Father who is good.
Look to God for wisdom today and live the good life.
Brian D. Bennett is the pastor of Overflow Church and lives in Benton Harbor with his wife and three children. He is the author of Go Now and Be the Church.
© 2018 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.