James 3:13-18
Two Kinds of Wisdom
Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
What does the Passage say?
James maintains that faith cannot be separated from works. In this passage, he maintains as well that true wisdom will be borne out by what we see in a person’s conduct and in his attitude toward others.
Earthly wisdom is self serving and seeks to aggrandize the person who espouses it. It is characterized by boastfulness and insensitivity, bitterness and envy. It emphasizes self over all else and loves the limelight.
Heavenly wisdom, on the contrary, is true wisdom. It is not wisdom that seeks after recognition or glory. It does not promote at the expense of others. It does not shout at us. Indeed, those who truly follow God and gain true wisdom are characterized by good lives lived out in humility. Lives of those who are truly wise prove to be solid, based in faith and tempered by a reliance on God for sustenance. We do not need to be told how wise these persons are – their lives and their deeds will show it far more demonstratively than their words ever could.
What does the Passage say to me/us?
One of my favorite lines in the movie, Forrest Gump, comes when Forrest relates, “Stupid is as stupid does.” While this does make me laugh when Tom Hanks delivers it, it strikes me as a sad commentary on what comprises much of human behavior. Many folks, thinking themselves to be smarter, more accomplished or somehow on a higher mental or social plane than everyone else have no problem drawing that very fact to the attention of anyone within their sphere of influence. In doing so, they really only throw the spotlight on their own shortcomings. In seeking to elevate themselves, they must, of necessity, subjugate others and distance themselves from the love that God would have all of us show for each other. Their lives become so filled with themselves, and there is not much room for anyone else.
On the other hand, those filled with love for God are filled with humility, respect and reverence for our Creator. They are quiet people, loving of others. They are willing to listen. They show empathy and compassion. They face outward, not inward. They are prayerful and reliant upon the Holy Spirit for instruction and direction. They do not need to advertise that they have a direct connection to the source of all wisdom. Their lives themselves trumpet the wisdom of God and its presence in their way of living out the lives that they have been given.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
You are the source of all wisdom. You are our creator. When we fail the most miserably sometimes, we realize that it is because we have leaned on our own understanding and turned our back upon reliance on you. This day, we ask you to forgive us for the times when we are selfish and self absorbed. Thank you for the gift that this day is. Help us to use it as you would have us to do. Help us to rely on you for guidance in our lives so that they may become a witness to you for the rest of the world to see.
Amen
Devotion contributed by Steve Wright
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