written November 3, 2008
I've been studying the book of James and one of the themes that struck me was the characteristics of the wisdom that comes from Heaven. Chapter 3 verse 17 reads "But the wisdom that comes from Heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate (gentle), submissive (open to reason), full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." This is from the NIV translation and the parentheses are from the ESV.
In context, James has just finished writing about the tongue and how it can lead the entire body to Hell by its boasts and evil nature. He talks of how hypocritical the tongue is when we praise our Holy God and then turn around and bad mouth God's children. James then poses the question "who is wise among you" in verse 13. Let him show his wisdom by his good deeds and humble attitude. James defines "worldly wisdom" as selfish and envious and from the devil. Which kind of wisdom do you seek after? I know which one I desire.
So I have been asking myself the question "what does godly wisdom look like and how would I elaborate on the characteristics of it?" Here are my reflections so far:
Pure: To me, if something is pure it needs no refinement. It is without fault or blemish. Purity in its greatest form is perfection. The Bible discusses purity many times in regards to having a pure heart or striving for sexual purity and purity of thought and mind. Wisdom that is pure is unbiased and holy. Only the wisdom that comes from God is truly pure and not corrupted by worldly distractions. How I long for pure wisdom that does not seek the approval of men but delights in the Lord!
Peace-loving: It is easy for wise men to become arrogant and attempt to cause arguments or hurt people with their words. Godly wisdom yearns for peace. It is unselfish and it unites rather than separates. How can I make peace with those in my life? How can I encourage others towards peace? I wonder these things especially since I have been called to share the Gospel and not be ashamed of the Word of God.
Considerate(gentle): Gentle wisdom is well-timed and well-spoken. It is not harsh and considers how a comment might be taken by the other person. A gentle and considerate demeanor is wise when sharing the Gospel with others. How can I become more gentle and considerate when I share Christ with others? This can be tough when my passion for those who are lost causes me to try and force things upon them. I believe it is wise to always remember that it is the Holy Spirit that draws us to the Lord. My job is simply to share life and Christ with others and pray that God moves in his/her life. That I can do! :)
Submissive(open to reason): I wrestled with this one and found a slightly different translation in each version of the verse that I checked. I asked myself and other people why wisdom should be submissive. After asking questions and thinking more about it, I came to what I feel is a good understanding of this characteristic. It is wise to submit to authority and understand one's role. Submissive wisdom does not mean weak or lacking. Rather, it means staying within the bounds of authority. Wisdom that is open to reason is not rigid and hard-headed. It allows for the Spirit to shape the heart and mind freely and continually. I pray that I never feel like I have it all figured out or else I better prepare to be humbled!
Full of mercy and good fruits: Scripture tells me that I should be merciful because God has shown me infinite mercy even though I deserve none of it. In chapter 2 verse 13, James writes "because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful." It sounds to me as if it is down right foolish to lack mercy. It is wise to be nonjudgmental and quick to forgive. James speaks a lot about how one's life and good works will be a sign of his/her faith. Wisdom that comes from Heaven understands that faith without works is dead and strives to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.
2 Peter 1: 5-8 describes the fruits that a wise man seeks.
"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Oh, and just in case you're worried about how in the world you can obtain these fruits in increasing measure, don't be discouraged! In verse 3, Peter tells us that God has equipped us with everything we need for life and godliness! Trust in the Lord. Live a life of obedience. Your fruits will inevitably multiply! Praise God!
Impartial and sincere: The wisdom that comes from Heaven has no selfish motives or agenda. It is loving and delights in sharing with everyone. Everyone deserves to know the good news of Jesus Christ. I pray that I don't let personality differences prevent me from sharing Christ.
It is wise to be sincere. How great a testimony that is sincere! I desire to live a radically different life that sincerely seeks the Lord in everything that I do. How powerful a witness that can be for the Kingdom!
So there are my thoughts on the wisdom that comes from Heaven. If I am honest with myself, I struggle most with the submissive characteristic. I don't always submit to authority and hold my tongue in times of frustration. I pray that with the Lord's help I can overcome this flaw. Of all of these characteristics, sincerity and being considerate are the two that I desire the most. I pray that the wisdom from Heaven that God has blessed me with leads me to be sincerely concerned for the lost and sincerely enthusiastic to share life and the Gospel with others. I also remain hopeful that God will allow me to be considerate and gentle when I share His Word and also when I hear people speak against it.
I pray that these words might cause you to think about godly wisdom and what it looks like to be wise according to God. I pray that you may be blessed with the wisdom from Heaven and all of its godly characteristics.
I've been studying the book of James and one of the themes that struck me was the characteristics of the wisdom that comes from Heaven. Chapter 3 verse 17 reads "But the wisdom that comes from Heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate (gentle), submissive (open to reason), full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." This is from the NIV translation and the parentheses are from the ESV.
In context, James has just finished writing about the tongue and how it can lead the entire body to Hell by its boasts and evil nature. He talks of how hypocritical the tongue is when we praise our Holy God and then turn around and bad mouth God's children. James then poses the question "who is wise among you" in verse 13. Let him show his wisdom by his good deeds and humble attitude. James defines "worldly wisdom" as selfish and envious and from the devil. Which kind of wisdom do you seek after? I know which one I desire.
So I have been asking myself the question "what does godly wisdom look like and how would I elaborate on the characteristics of it?" Here are my reflections so far:
Pure: To me, if something is pure it needs no refinement. It is without fault or blemish. Purity in its greatest form is perfection. The Bible discusses purity many times in regards to having a pure heart or striving for sexual purity and purity of thought and mind. Wisdom that is pure is unbiased and holy. Only the wisdom that comes from God is truly pure and not corrupted by worldly distractions. How I long for pure wisdom that does not seek the approval of men but delights in the Lord!
Peace-loving: It is easy for wise men to become arrogant and attempt to cause arguments or hurt people with their words. Godly wisdom yearns for peace. It is unselfish and it unites rather than separates. How can I make peace with those in my life? How can I encourage others towards peace? I wonder these things especially since I have been called to share the Gospel and not be ashamed of the Word of God.
Considerate(gentle): Gentle wisdom is well-timed and well-spoken. It is not harsh and considers how a comment might be taken by the other person. A gentle and considerate demeanor is wise when sharing the Gospel with others. How can I become more gentle and considerate when I share Christ with others? This can be tough when my passion for those who are lost causes me to try and force things upon them. I believe it is wise to always remember that it is the Holy Spirit that draws us to the Lord. My job is simply to share life and Christ with others and pray that God moves in his/her life. That I can do! :)
Submissive(open to reason): I wrestled with this one and found a slightly different translation in each version of the verse that I checked. I asked myself and other people why wisdom should be submissive. After asking questions and thinking more about it, I came to what I feel is a good understanding of this characteristic. It is wise to submit to authority and understand one's role. Submissive wisdom does not mean weak or lacking. Rather, it means staying within the bounds of authority. Wisdom that is open to reason is not rigid and hard-headed. It allows for the Spirit to shape the heart and mind freely and continually. I pray that I never feel like I have it all figured out or else I better prepare to be humbled!
Full of mercy and good fruits: Scripture tells me that I should be merciful because God has shown me infinite mercy even though I deserve none of it. In chapter 2 verse 13, James writes "because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful." It sounds to me as if it is down right foolish to lack mercy. It is wise to be nonjudgmental and quick to forgive. James speaks a lot about how one's life and good works will be a sign of his/her faith. Wisdom that comes from Heaven understands that faith without works is dead and strives to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.
2 Peter 1: 5-8 describes the fruits that a wise man seeks.
"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Oh, and just in case you're worried about how in the world you can obtain these fruits in increasing measure, don't be discouraged! In verse 3, Peter tells us that God has equipped us with everything we need for life and godliness! Trust in the Lord. Live a life of obedience. Your fruits will inevitably multiply! Praise God!
Impartial and sincere: The wisdom that comes from Heaven has no selfish motives or agenda. It is loving and delights in sharing with everyone. Everyone deserves to know the good news of Jesus Christ. I pray that I don't let personality differences prevent me from sharing Christ.
It is wise to be sincere. How great a testimony that is sincere! I desire to live a radically different life that sincerely seeks the Lord in everything that I do. How powerful a witness that can be for the Kingdom!
So there are my thoughts on the wisdom that comes from Heaven. If I am honest with myself, I struggle most with the submissive characteristic. I don't always submit to authority and hold my tongue in times of frustration. I pray that with the Lord's help I can overcome this flaw. Of all of these characteristics, sincerity and being considerate are the two that I desire the most. I pray that the wisdom from Heaven that God has blessed me with leads me to be sincerely concerned for the lost and sincerely enthusiastic to share life and the Gospel with others. I also remain hopeful that God will allow me to be considerate and gentle when I share His Word and also when I hear people speak against it.
I pray that these words might cause you to think about godly wisdom and what it looks like to be wise according to God. I pray that you may be blessed with the wisdom from Heaven and all of its godly characteristics.
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