Once, when the boys were young, one of them broke a toy. Looking at it, I was considering ways that it might be fixed. My son quickly took it from my hands and said, “That’s OK, Mom. I will wait until Dad gets home.”
Obviously, he didn’t think I was wise enough to figure it out on my own.
In this section of James, we are reminded that, in fact, there are two types of wisdom—worldly wisdom and Godly wisdom.
Most of us know a little about what the world calls wisdom. It’s the kind of wisdom gained from knowledge as well as the school of hard knocks. It’s what makes us smart or street savvy. It can be measured by intelligence and test scores or how far you make it up the corporate ladder. But James tells us that this type of wisdom is worth very little in God’s eyes. In fact, if we aren’t careful, it is the type of wisdom that can lead to jealousy, selfish ambition, boasting, lying and all sorts of “disorder and evil of every kind. (verse 16)” This is not “God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic,” says James (verse 15).
James tells us that God’s wisdom is less about an intellectual knowledge and more about physical action. Remember, James is writing a letter. So, what he is saying here is a continuation of some of the things he has already said. Remember our memory verse for this study? “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” (James 1:22) Again, James is reiterating the importance of not just knowing God’s word but also living it.
Let’s look at the characteristics that James lists for Godly wisdom.
Living an honorable life (verses 13)
Doing good works in humility (verse 13 and verse 17)
Living a pure lifestyle (verse 17)
Being a peacemaker (verse 17 and verse 18)
Being gentle (verse 17)
Being willing to yield to others (verse 17)
Being merciful (verse 17)
Showing no favoritism (verse 17)
Being sincere (verse 18)
What you will notice among this list is the absence of words such as intelligence, knowledge, or expertise. It’s not that James thinks that what we know isn’t important; it’s just that James knows that how we live is the best indicator of whether or not we really have Godly wisdom.
Another thing you may notice about this list is how many of these characteristics deal with our interaction with other people. It seems that it might be easier to obtain Godly wisdom if we never had to interact with anyone else, but that’s not life. James reminds us that in order to be truly wise, we must put into practice the various aspects we have learned from and see modeled in our Savior.
If you, like me, find yourself sometimes failing in this regard, you may wonder, if this is even possible—to live out this kind of Godly wisdom. It is, and James tells us one of the secrets in chapter 1, verse 5. “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.”
Godly wisdom is not something we can achieve on our own. It is another good gift from our Father. So, it’s important to remember that in our zeal to obtain it, we should not try to do so in our own merit. Because, let’s be honest, we all know that in and of ourselves, we don’t have the power or will to live selflessly. So, we have to ask God for His help.”
Of course, James isn’t the only Biblical author to write about wisdom. God’s Word has a lot to say about what it is and what it isn’t, and how we can obtain it. For example, Proverbs 1:7 tells us that “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge…” Proverbs 13:1 reminds us that wise people listen to their fathers’ instructions. Ecclesiastes 2:26 tells us that God gives wisdom to “the person who pleases Him.” And we all know the verses about the wise man who builds his house on the rock (Mathew 7:24-27).
So, regardless of whether you graduated with a PhD or a GED, whether you love to read or prefer audio books, whether you are white-collar, blue-collar or no-collar at all, wisdom, James tells us, is within our reach. When we put our trust in God and put our faith into practice, we are allowing God’s wisdom to manifest itself in our lives.
THIS WEEK
Continue memorizing James 1:22. Write it out by memory.
Read James 3:13-18 every day.
Ask God for wisdom. Admit and repent of your desire to rely upon your own wisdom, and ask God to help you become wise in His eyes.
Which of the areas listed in today’s lesson prove most difficult for you? Look up scriptures specifically related to those areas, and spend time asking God to help you develop that specific quality in your life.