The lesson reminds me of a striking vision given to EGW.

It is called "The Two Crowns" and found in 1T pages 347-349

CROWN ONE
"I saw an arm reached down from heaven, holding a golden scepter. On the top of the scepter was a crown studded with diamonds. Every diamond emitted light, bright, clear, and beautiful. Inscribed upon the crown were these words: "All who win me are happy, and shall have everlasting life."

CROWN TWO:
"Below this crown was another scepter, and upon this also was placed a crown, in the center of which were jewels, gold, and silver, reflecting some light. The inscription upon the crown was: "Earthly treasure. Riches is power. All who win me have honor and fame."

POPULARITY OF CROWN #TWO
I saw a vast multitude rushing forward to obtain this crown. They were clamorous. Some in their eagerness seemed bereft of reason. They would thrust one another, crowding back those who were weaker than they, and trampling upon those who in their haste fell.
Many eagerly seized hold of the treasures within the crown, and held them fast. The heads of some were as white as silver, and their faces were furrowed with care and anxiety. Their own relatives, bone of their bone, and flesh of their flesh, they regarded not; but, as appealing looks were turned to them, they held their treasures more firmly, as though fearful that in an unguarded moment they should lose a little, or be induced to divide with them. Their eager eyes would often fasten upon the earthly crown, and count and recount its treasures.
Images of want and wretchedness appeared in that multitude, and looked wishfully at the treasures there, and turned hopelessly away as the stronger overpowered and drove back the weaker. Yet they could not give it up thus, but with a multitude of deformed, sickly, and aged, they sought to press their way to the earthly crown. Some died in seeking to reach it. Others fell just in the act of taking hold of it. Many had but just laid hold of it when they fell.
Dead bodies strewed the ground, yet on rushed the multitude, trampling over the fallen and dead bodies of their companions. Everyone who reached the crown possessed a share in it, and was loudly applauded by an interested company standing around it.

A large company of evil angels were very busy. Satan was in the midst of them, and all looked with the most exulting satisfaction upon the company struggling for the crown. He seemed to throw a peculiar charm upon those who eagerly sought it.
Many who sought this earthly crown were professed Christians. Some of them seemed to have a little light. They would look wishfully upon the heavenly crown, and would often seem charmed with its beauty, yet they had no true sense of its value and glory. While with one hand they were reaching forth languidly for the heavenly, with the other they reached eagerly for the earthly, determined to possess that; and in their earnest pursuit for the earthly, they lost sight of the heavenly. They were left in darkness, yet were anxiously groping about to secure the earthly crown.

PURSUIT OF THE HEAVENLY CROWN

Some became disgusted with the company who sought the earthly crown so eagerly; they seemed to have a sense of their danger, and turned from it, and earnestly sought for the heavenly crown. The countenances of such soon changed from dark to light, from gloom to cheerfulness and holy joy.

I then saw a company pressing through the crowd with their eyes intently fixed upon the heavenly crown. As they earnestly urged their way through the disorderly crowd, angels attended them, and made room for them to advance. As they neared the heavenly crown, the light emanating from it shone upon them and around them, dispelling their darkness, and growing clearer and brighter, until they seemed to be transformed, and resembled the angels. They cast not one lingering look upon the earthly crown. Those who were in pursuit of the earthly, mocked them, and threw black balls after them. These did them no injury while their eyes were fixed upon the heavenly crown, but those who turned their attention to the black balls were stained with them.

EXPLANATION OF THOSE WHO SOUGHT EARTHLY CROWN

The multitude who were so eagerly striving for the earthly crown, were those who love this world's treasure, and are deceived and flattered with its short-lived attractions. Some, I saw, who profess to be the followers of Jesus, are so ambitious to obtain earthly treasures that they lose their love for heaven, act like the world, and are accounted of God as of the world. They profess to be seeking an immortal crown, a treasure in the heavens; but their interest and principal study is to acquire earthly treasures. Those who have their treasures in this world, and love their riches, cannot love Jesus. They may think that they are right, and, although they cling to their possessions with a miser's grasp, they cannot be made to see it, or to feel that they love money more than the cause of truth or the heavenly treasure.

They trample upon the rights of others, and oppress the poor, and the hireling in his wages. If they can take advantage of those who are poorer and less shrewd than they, and thus manage to increase their riches, they will not hesitate a moment to oppress them, and even see them brought to beggary.
The men whose heads were white with age, and whose faces were furrowed with care, yet who were eagerly grasping the treasures within the crown, were the aged, who have but a few years before them. Yet they were eager to secure their earthly treasures. The nearer they came to the grave, the more anxious they were to cling to them. Their own relatives were not benefited. The members of their own families were permitted to labor beyond their strength to save a little money. They did not use it for others' good, or for their own.

The multitude of deformed and sickly pressing for the earthly crown are those whose interests and treasures are in this world. Although they are disappointed on every side, they will not place their affections on heaven, and secure to themselves a treasure and home there. They fail of the earthly, yet while in pursuit of it, lose the heavenly. Notwithstanding the disappointment and unhappy life and death of those who were wholly bent upon obtaining earthly riches, others follow the same course. They rush madly on, disregarding the miserable end of those whose example they are following.
Those who reached the crown, and possessed a share in it, and were applauded, are those who obtain that which is the whole aim of their life--riches. They receive that honor which the world bestows upon those who are rich. They have influence in the world. Satan and his evil angels are satisfied. They know that such are surely theirs, that while they are living in rebellion against God, they are Satan's powerful agents.

EXPLANATION OF THOSE WHO SOUGHT HEAVENLY CROWN

Those who are urging their way through the crowd for the heavenly crown, attended by holy angels, were shown me to be God's faithful people. Angels lead them on, and they are inspired with zeal to press forward for the heavenly treasure.
The black balls which were thrown after the saints were the reproachful falsehoods put in circulation concerning God's people by those who love and make a lie. We should take the greatest care to live a blameless life, and abstain from all appearance of evil, and then it is our duty to move boldly forward, and pay no regard to the reproachful falsehoods of the wicked. While the eyes of the righteous are fixed upon the heavenly priceless treasure, they will become more and more like Christ, and thus they will be transformed and fitted for translation."

Sunday November 16

The Meekness of Wisdom
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom (James 3:13, ESV). The meekness of wisdom? What might that mean?
Some commentators think that the entire third chapter of James has to do with what qualifies (or disqualifies) people to be teachers. Naturally, the wise and understanding would seem to be good candidates, but the scope seems to be broader, encompassing the whole congregation. The wisdom James describes here and throughout the epistle is not primarily the intellectual variety so esteemed by the ancient Greeks and many Western countries today. Rather, wisdom is seen in one's conduct and lifestyle, as indicated by the Greek word for it, anastrophe, translated conduct (used also in 1 Tim. 4:12, Heb. 13:7, 1 Pet. 1:15, 2:12). Our actions and conduct testify as to how wise we are. Jesus taught the same, saying that wisdom is justified by her children (Matt. 11:19, NKJV).
Interestingly, the only place in the Old Testament where the phrase translated wise and understanding is found is in Moses' admonition to Israel to observe all the laws that God had commanded: Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who when they hear all these statutes, will say, 'surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people' (Deut. 4:6, ESV).
In contrast, the bitter water spring referred to in James 3:11 produces envy and selfish ambition (v. 14, NIV) in the church. The latter translates from the Greek word eritheia, which refers to the exclusive pursuit of one's own interests.-Ceslas Spicq, Theological Lexicon of the New Testament (Hendrickson Publishers), vol. 2, p. 70. That's an attitude that sounds more like Satan in heaven than like what Christians should be on earth. Unless we make a conscious choice to die to self and surrender our will to the Lord, all of us could be in danger of displaying precisely the attitudes here that James warns about.
Dwell more on the phrase the meekness of wisdom. What are some of the situations in which, right now, some of this wisdom on your part would be very helpful?

True wisdom comes with meekness. Pride and arrogance cannot exist with wisdom.

Biblical meekness and humility is the fruit of being proud of what Jesus has done for you and is doing in and through you.

Monday November 17

Two Kinds of Wisdom
Read James 3:15-16. What is his description of worldly wisdom? What are the common ways we see this wisdom manifested in the world, or even in the church?
The wisdom that we have naturally is earthly, even demonic or devilish, and devoid of the Spirit. This should not be too surprising. Long ago, Solomon spoke about the way that seems right as being the way of death (Prov. 14:12, 16:25, NKJV). This wisdom is destructive to its core. If jealousy and selfish ambition are cultivated and expressed, the natural result will be disorder and dissension, similar to the situation in Corinth (see 2 Cor. 12:20, where several of the same words are used).
Read James 3:17-18; John 3:3-7; Colossians 3:1-2. Together, what are these texts telling us about heavenly wisdom?
While James never refers to the Holy Spirit directly, the idea of the new birth is clearly present. The apostle seems to prefer, instead, the agricultural metaphor of sowing and bearing fruit, perhaps based on Jesus' parables that refer to the word being sown in people's hearts as they hear the gospel message (see Matt. 13:3-9, 18-23). Heavenly wisdom is full of mercy, as well as good fruits. As we have seen, despite the emphasis in James on obedience and good works as the fruit of faith, mercy triumphs even in the judgment (James 2:13). In other words, the truly wise will not only be meek and humble like Jesus, but also peaceable, gentle, merciful, and forgiving, willing to overlook the faults of others, not critical or judgmental of them.
It's so easy to fall into the ways of the world, isn't it? Examine yourself: how much does worldly wisdom, in contrast to wisdom from heaven, influence how you live?

What does it mean to be meek and humble?

Is there such a thing as false humility?
Can people demand "humility" from others while they themselves use a false humility for self exaltation?

Is it possible to be in a condition where "the heart is swelling with the conceit of their superior humility"?

Does humility require that we keep the peace and accept Sunday worship if those in authority tell us it is the "true" Sabbath and our friends and even relatives go along with the Sunday keeping and pressure us to do the same and say we are "judgmental" if we tell them that is not God's Sabbath? Or they say we are "proud" and think we are so much smarter than those in leadership?

Where does godly humility stand?
What does it mean that "mercy triumphs over judgment" in the setting it is used in the lesson?
Does it mean that humility will bow to keep the peace and that is more important than obedience, and not worry about God's judgment for mercy will still vindicate us?


Just some questions as I've found people often speak of humility when they want others to humbly look to them as authority.

True humility is seeking God's will not our own.
True humility is seeking the good of others before our own.
True humility does not harbor jealousy and selfish ambition
But true humility is not in the context of compromise.

The spirit of the slothful servant we are often fain to call humility. But true humility is widely different. To be clothed with humility does not mean that we are to be dwarfs in intellect, deficient in aspiration, and cowardly in our lives, shunning burdens lest we fail to carry them successfully. Real humility fulfills God's purposes by depending upon His strength. {COL 363.3}

It is the privilege of everyone to so live that God will approve and bless him. You may be hourly in communion with Heaven; it is not the will of your heavenly Father that you should ever be under condemnation and darkness. It is not pleasing to God that you should demerit yourself. You should cultivate self-respect by living so that you will be approved by your own conscience, and before men and angels. It is not an evidence of true humility that you go with your head bowed down, and your heart filled with thoughts of self. It is your privilege to go to Jesus and be cleansed, and to stand before the law without shame and remorse. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." While we should not think of ourselves more highly than we ought, the Word of God does not condemn a proper self-respect. As sons and daughters of God, we should have a conscious dignity of character, in which pride and self-importance have no part.--RH, Mar. 27, 1888.{DG 142.1}

One Law Giver and Judge
http://ssnet.org/lessons/14d/less09.html

Study this lesson to prepare for November 29, 2014

Memory Text: “There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?” (James 4:12).

Our attitude toward law, whether God’s law or human’s, affects how we relate to others and even to how we relate to God Himself. Have you noticed that sometimes the rich and famous act as if they are above the law? Even some who make the laws, or enforce them, may look for ways to write those laws for their own personal gain. Disrespect for a society’s laws, then, can involve disrespect for other people, because laws govern how we relate to each other.

At the same time, those whose attitude toward law is rigid and unbending may also have difficulty in their interpersonal relationships. At a deeper level, our view of the law depends on the degree of respect we have for the wisdom of the lawgivers and the fairness of their laws.

This week’s lesson begins with a look at the law but then leads into some important words about a form of arrogance and self-dependence that we might not be aware of but which we are warned about as being sin, a violation of God’s law. In fact, we’re given here, in James, another way of looking at sin.


Some Bible Texts to consider:

James 4:11 Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?

Do Not Boast About Tomorrow

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Sunday's question is an important one-- for though we are not to judge the Bible is clear we need to have discernment.

So --
Sunday: Judgment or Discernment?

What is the difference?

Sunday's lesson starts answering that question by saying:
"The initial phrase in verse 11 that is literally translated “speak against” could include several sins of speech, including slander, bearing false witness, and angry words ....

And looking back at last weeks lesson it would include speaking words to "put down" someone else in order to elevate oneself in other people's eyes.

On the other hand discernment tests ideas and movements, especially spiritual ideas with scripture to see if it is truth or falsehoods.

Scripture is telling us to discern the difference between truth and falsehood but we are not to judge our fellow believers as to their spiritual condition.

Yet, there are times when we need "in love and compassion" encourage a person to change from their sinful ways. Parents who don't teach their children right from wrong can't claim the "don't judge" verses to excuse their neglect; and so also a church family needs to encourage righteousness and counsel the erring.

So the question is still
"How can we learn to know if we have crossed the line from being spiritually discerning to being judgmental on God’s law?"