Exploring Wisdom

Do you think you’re wise and understanding? Does God think you’re wise and understanding? I was reading in James recently and here’s what I found. James 3:13 says “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.” Take note of the wording here… “gentleness of wisdom”. The passage goes on to say in verses 14-16 : “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.” Notice that godly wisdom does not co-exist with an arrogant and selfishly ambitious heart.

Then the passage continues in James 3:17 where it says: “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.” So if I thought I was wise, then I need to take a deeper look into what God says wisdom looks like. It’s easy to look at the “text book” definition of wisdom (skillfully living according to God’s word) and figure that we’re wise (or at least ‘pretty wise’). We reason “I’m a believer. I try to obey God. I read my bible. I train up my kids in the way they should go. I’m involved at church. I’m pretty wise!” But look at how James speaks of wisdom. Ouch… maybe I need to fine-tune my way of assessing whether I’m wise in God’s eyes.

Am I arrogant (or prideful)? - Do I seek to exalt God and His holiness and His purposes or do I seek my own glory?

Am I selfishly ambitious? - Do I seek my own good or my own plans and agenda before others? Do I submit (without complaint and much arguing/discussion) to my leaders?

Am I pure? - Would purity be a good way to describe my speech, thought life, deeds, the things I watch, listen to, partake of, or dream about?

Am I peaceable? - Do I seek/pursue peace or do I stir up strife? How often do I have to “iron things out” with people because of a disagreement? Do I find myself involved in disagreements and/or debates with my fellow believers often?

Am I gentle? - Do I run over other people’s feelings or do I handle other’s with care, showing (and feeling) grace and compassion for them. Do I forget that other people have real struggles and concerns, fears and heartaches? Do I speak sweetly but inside feel cold to those whom I interact with?

Am I reasonable? - Can people reason with me? Do I submit my thoughts/feelings to God’s standards of what is good, right, true and acceptable or do I always have to justify my deeds? Do I pursue order in my thoughts, my deeds and in my life/surroundings?

Am I full of mercy and good fruits? - Do I act out compassion and grace as God has shown to me? God calls us to “visit orphans and widows”, to “extend our hands to the poor”. Do I feel compassion for the lost or the person who offends my senses? Does humility and humble service characterize my thoughts and actions?

Am I unwavering? - Am I steadfast, consistent- holding firmly to the rock of God’s truth? Do I know God’s word enough to not be blown “here and there by every wind of doctrine”? * Note this is in harmony with gentleness, mercy and peace seeking. It does not contradict the others. We must hold firm to God’s word, truth and authority over our lives while still being gentle, peaceable and merciful.

Am I without hypocrisy? - Do I practice what I preach? Do I tell others to read scripture or submit or not be lazy or trust in God and then not do it myself? (And make excuses for it or lessen my own sin?)

Those cause me to think a little harder about whether I am so wise as I thought. Since the temptation arises to defend or justify myself rather than admit failure and repent before the Lord; I will close with another verse from James.

James 1:22-25 “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of a person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does.”