Session Four: Day Five- Wisdom Below, Wisdom Above

 The wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy. James 3:17

This is a day when I wish that we could sit together and talk about our families.  They are so much a part of who we become and I always love to hear stories from your childhoods, both good, bad and funny.  I was trying to think of something quirky or weird or interesting about my family and realized that my side of the family was very logical, very rigid and very routine.  Perhaps that is why I tend to be the same.  In my little family I am easily the serious one.  I would love to hear what you have to share about your own families!


Jill:  My mom has 11 siblings.  So I have LOTS of cousins, aunts, and uncles.  There are so many crazy kookie stories from them.  I love them dearly.  Funny enough out of all my cousins, I can only think of 2 that have sisters.  So my girl cousins that are closest in age were like my sisters.  We were always together, every weekend, and during summers we would sometimes live at someone else's house.  I am about in the middle age wise.  Too many stories to share but the one thing that I think interesting about my mom's siblings is that they grew up very very poor.  So poor it is difficult to imagine living like that.  Well in order to get out, the boys joined the military and the girls got married, essentially to the 1st boy that came along.  Most were just out of high school when they got married.  As much as I love all my aunts husbands, they were terrible choices for them, they are ALL now divorced.  But something I always found odd was how much my aunts pushed all of us girls to get married and have babies (not even in that order), the men where there for the baby making,  they all wanted us to have babies, and lots of them.  I think that is why I rebelled so much about not getting married, I had no good roll models and I didnt want to end up in divorce.

                             Wisdom from above:                      

• good life
• humility
• pure
• peace loving
• considerate
• submissive
• mercy
• impartial
• sincere

Wisdom from below:

• bitter envy
• selfish ambition

Beth reminds us that this letter is written for Christians. I think sometimes we forget that the bible is for us.  Not just the unsaved or those who are searching for Christ.  For us.  Complacent, set in our ways, believers.  Sometimes it's hard to hear because we think we have it all together, but I know I am a better person when I am reminded (often) that I am still sinful.  One of the areas that I struggle with is an area Beth talks about.  Jealousy.

Why does being jealous make us so miserable?
For me it brings up feelings of dissatisfaction.  Like somehow what I am doing isn't enough.  I know that my family has been blessed beyond measure, but I still get twinges of jealousy over the dumbest things. Most recently I found myself feeling jealous because a friend of mine is planning a Hawaiian vacation, with her kids, for this fall.  We were JUST there.  I should be excited for her but instead I wish that we could go back and take our kids.  It's a sneaky feeling, but being aware that I am susceptible to that allows me to nip it in the bud before it gets out of hand.


Jill:  For me it is low self esteem.  I get jealous because I dont think I deserve what that other person has that I want.  

My favorite quote from this week:  Wisdom often knows what to do, what is right or what is awry.  Understanding often knows why.  Who in your life would you characterize as wise?
The wisest person I know is Donna Hill, a women just a season of life ahead of me.  She has a gentle spirit, caution with her words and Godly wisdom that convicts me and lifts me up both.


Jill:  sadly the 1st person that popped into my head is not spiritually wise but rather academically wise, and her next question of "are they harsh"  why YES this person is very harsh.  Then I love how she says "Harsh people are never wise they may be smart, they may even be right but they are not what the bible calls wise".  Working in an environment of all physicians are are in research trying to unlock medical mysteries can be difficult, as I will never be as academically smart as they are, but this reminder that just because they are smarter than me, doesnt mean they are wiser than me.  Thank you Beth for that little nugget.  


My favorite part of today was "Braggers are liars, period".  Again I work with people who brag and boast ALL DAY EVERY DAY.  It is so difficult to listen to at times, so now I just sort of smile to myself and thing braggers are liars, aaaaahhhhh what sweet music to my ears.