Envy and Selfish Ambition

James 3:13-18

13 Who is wise and understanding among you?  Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.  14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.  15 Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.  16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.  17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.  18 Peace-makers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

Dr. David Jeremiah says, "People's lives reflect the source of their wisdom.  Those who have a right relationship with God are understanding and concerned for others, demonstrating the wisdom of heaven.  People who are estranged from God will be sensual and selfish, reflecting the wisdom of Satan, which is the wisdom of the world."  James 3:13-18 is an incredible passage of Scripture.  It is a tough passage of Scripture.  The Bible clearly tells us that we are all sinners.  In essence, we are all SELFISH.  As sinners, we have what I like to call the "Burger King Syndrome," which is simply this: I want it MY way RIGHT away!  In our selfishness, we become people who practice envy.  What is envy?  The Holman Bible describes envy this way: "Envy is painful or resentful awareness of another's advantage joined with the desire to possess the same advantage."  The advantage we want in our envy and selfish ambition could be the advantage of title or position; it could be the advantage of power; it could be the advantage of material goods.  When we practice envy and selfish ambition, we are in sin.  According to this passage in James, envy and selfish ambition are considered wisdom of the world.  The only things our envy and selfish ambitions produce are disorder and evil practices.  James says the wisdom of this world, which includes envy and selfish ambition, is unspiritual and demonic.  Wow!  Think about those words: unspiritual and demonic.  That is what we practice when we cave into our envy and selfish ambition.  I don't know about you, but I don't want God to look down at me and see me as unspiritual or even demonic.  In contrast, James tells us what the wisdom of heaven looks like.  He tells us the wisdom of heaven is "pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere."  When I choose to practice the wisdom of heaven, I choose to die to self; I choose to live for Christ; I choose to live with humility.

Too many times, we want to be recognized by others.  We like recognition.  Let me restate that: We love recognition!  We want people to know just how good we are or just how talented we are.  We want people to know all about us!  We even go so far as to compare ourselves to others, and when we compare ourselves to others, whether intentionally or unintentionally, we literally want people to know that we deserve the same or even more credit.  As sinners, we love recognition.  We love position and the power that comes with it.  James warns us in this passage that as Christ follower we must strive for humility.  We must strive for heavenly wisdom.  We must strive to be peace-makers.  How do we do that?  I believe it starts with repentance and prayer.  In repentance, we recognize that we are sinners.  We recognize and take ownership of our envious behavior and selfish ambitions; however, in repentance we turn away from that earthly wisdom, and we run to God for forgiveness and righteousness that only comes through Jesus.  We embrace heavenly wisdom, which God gives us generously without finding fault (see James 1:5).  We pray for God's love to change us from the inside out.  We pray for God to exchange our prideful hearts with humble hearts.  We pray for God to give us an undivided hearts so that we would fear His name and live the way He created us to live (see Psalm 86:11).  We cannot give God glory when we are envious and selfishly ambitious.  And we were not created to give glory to ourselves or to anyone else other than God.  

Father, help me today.  I am a sinner.  I am selfish, and yes, Father, I am envious and selfishly ambitious many, many times.  I find myself practicing this unspiritual and demonic lifestyle rather than the holy and righteous lifestyle You have called me to live.  Father, I repent of this sin.  I turn from my sin and self, and I run to You.  Exchange my envious and selfishly ambitious heart with an undivided and humble heart.  Give me a heart like Jesus!  Give me heavenly wisdom so that I can bring You glory, so that I can be a peace-maker.  Father, help me not to live a life of comparison with this person or that person.  Rather, help me live without comparison.  Help me reap a harvest of righteousness by relying on Your presence in my life, the Holy Spirit.  Thank You for loving me, for saving me, and for calling me Your child.  Thank You for loving me.  Your love is enough.  Amen.