Object Lesson

Let’s say the SuperTruth together. “God will give me wisdom.”

What is your favorite breakfast cereal?

Hold up the plain cereal box. Have you ever looked at the ingredients on the box of your favorite cereal to see what was inside?

Some of the ingredients may surprise you! Read several ingredients on the box.

I’ve never heard of some of those words! There are different kinds of cereal and there are different kinds of wisdom, too! Each contains different things.

Read James 3:13–18:

If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

Hold up the “World’s Wisdom” box. This passage told us there is an earthly or worldly wisdom. Let’s see what is inside this kind of wisdom. Read the Side Label: Jealousy, Selfishness, Disorder, Every kind of evil, Favoritism, Boasting, Lying, Fighting.

Those are some dangerous ingredients! Who wants a bowl of that kind of wisdom?

Hold up “God’s Wisdom” box. The passage also told us what God’s wisdom contains. Read the Side Label: Good deeds, Peace, Gentleness, Mercy, Consideration, Honor, Sincerity, Humility.

Ahhhh, now that’s the right way to start your day! God wants to give us His wisdom for our lives every day. It’s time to fill up on God’s wisdom—not the wisdom of the world!