James 3:13-18 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. (14) But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. (15) This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. (16) For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. (17) But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. (18) And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
The last Daily Bible Verse we saw that James contrasts the wisdom of the world and the wisom from above. He tells us that worldly wisdom comes from selfish desires, boasting, and bitter jealousy and is unspiritual and demonic. The wisdom of the wise and understanding person is that which comes from above. It is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. It looks far different than worldly wisdom because it comes from a completely different part of our heart.
The first thing we see from wisdom from above is purity. Godly wisdom creates in us a mind that strives after the pure things of God. Not for us to gain superior intellect or brilliance, but to transform our heart as to cause us to be upright, inoffensive, and peaceable.
Next he says we are to be at peace with others. Wisdom from above causes us a heart to have a heart toward becoming peacemeakers and gentle. Jesus says, ” “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Paul writes that we are to pursue peace as does the writer of Hebrews. As well, gentleness marks the man or woman living under the wisdom of God. Gentleness of spirit can be a challenge if we don’t first seek the power of the Holy Spirit in our walk. Seeking out peace with others and walking in gentleness are true signs of wisdom from above.
As we begin to see, the list goes on and on of the fruit of wisdom from above. Open to reason, filled with mercy, good fruit, impartial and sincere all mark a child of God seeking after Him and no longer putting his or her pursuit into the things of the world. Ultimately, as we pursue wisdom from above, we begin to sow the Gospel seed into every area of our life. At work or school, in our home, around our neighborhood… the Gospel is sown in peace in order to prepare for the great harvest of righteousness that all who believe are looking so forward to.
We all have a choice to pursue the wisdom of hte world that produces nothing lasting that we can hold onto, or we can pursue the wisdom from above that produces a harvest of righteousness for all eternity. When the trials hit and we are holding onto mans wisdom we will become discouraged and upset at God, but when we understand that we are to seek God with all our heart we will be able to “count it all joy” when we face trials of various kinds. The wisdom of man or the wisdom from above… the choice is truly yours to make.
Prayer
Lord, help me to pursue you with all my heart and soul and mind so when the storms of life come I will truly be able to say with James, “I count it all joy to be going through this trial.” Help me to not strive after a list of good things to do, but to simply rest in you and your provision for me to accomplish all things through you. Amen.