ON THE VANGUARD

SHIPS IN THE HARBOR
“But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.”
James 3:14-15

Growing up in southern California as a boy, there were a few times when we as a family would take our summer vacations to San Diego. I loved it. I’m not sure exactly what it was that made this town so enjoyable to me, though. Maybe it was the knowing that dad was stationed there for his naval boot-camp and while there he would share old memories with us. Perhaps it was the culture and fun that Balboa Park offered to me. Or maybe it was that San Diego is home to one of the biggest zoos in the country. It could be any or all of those things, but I know there is something more. One of my greatest memories was simply seeing the number of ships in the harbor. I am not talking about personally owned yachts and such, but the gigantic naval vessels that rested in the harbor. The massiveness they possessed, and the order in which they commanded, made a young boy like me remain awestruck.
In James 3 we read a few comparisons between ourselves and a ship. We first read in James 3:4 that despite their size, they are steered by a small piece called the rudder. On the same scale, our life is steered by a small piece called the tongue. But later on in the same chapter we see another word dealing with boats. Well, while maybe not exactly the same, we read in James 3:14 concerning what we are harboring. It is here that James urges us to not harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition. What exactly does that mean? The Greek word for ‘bitter’ means, in fact, bitter. The word for ‘envy’ is the word ZELOS, meaning punitive zeal, envious and contentious rivalry, or jealously. ‘Selfish ambition’ in the Greek is ERITHEIA, and translates as a desire to put one’s self forward or to cause strife. Are these the type of ships that are docked in our harbor?
James continues in this thought when he bluntly states that these ‘ships’ are not anything to boast about. Their cargo is deadly to our health because they deny the truth as it relates to God and the details to which He has called us. To live in this state will only continue to bring us into the importing and exporting of sin. But notice how James relates this to verse 15. The ‘wisdom’ we think comes from carrying this cargo is not a relation to God’s Word or ways, but rather is wrong and of the devil. James is urging us to get out of this shipping business altogether when the cargo being shipped is of the enemy. Yet, do we listen? Reading on into James 3:16, James also gives us a heads up that where this cargo of envy and selfish ambition are carried, we will only find disorder and evil practice. I wonder how many of us can say honestly that this defines our lives.
So what do we do? What should our cargo be? James instructs us in verse 17 that the wisdom that comes from heaven, what our true cargo should be, is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. This is quite the contrary of goods being imported and exported from that of sin. This cargo brings life as opposed to death. The problem is that it is so much easier to carry the cargo of sin, the cargo of selfishness, and the cargo of bitterness. In order for us to walk away from the price the world offers and sail the seas as part of God’s Navy, we must take a stand and say ‘No’ to the devil. I cannot chose this management change for you, just as you cannot for me. But I know, however, that working for the true Captain, for God, is so much more rewarding. The benefits He offers are life giving. Consider then whose cargo you are carrying, and make the right choice.