Wisdom

James 3: 13-18

(13) Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 

God's wisdom is gentle. 

(14) But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 
(15) This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 
(16) For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 

Bitterness, envy for what belongs to another, and arrogance are all deceptive. Worldly wisdom comes from our enemy, the liar, who only wants to kill, steal, and destroy. And he can be very persuasive.

(17) But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 

God's wisdom is not mixed or diluted with any selfish or prideful attitudes, but is pure, as God is pure. And because it is pure, it promotes a positive peace among one another, in gentleness. 

Someone with God's wisdom is willing to listen, and is reasonable, even with people they don't agree with. And they will give allowance to someone, forgiving slights; and merciful, with the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5: 22-23). Their emotional responses are level and honest. 

(18) And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.  

This peace is more than an absence of hostilities. It is a positive well-being and quietness; a restfulness. 

A person who teaches others how to relax and trust the One who holds them in His hand is sowing a righteousness-seed. 

We may have many seasons of sowing before a season of harvesting, but we will reap what we have sown when the right time comes. 

O my Father, thank You for Your peace that surpasses what we can understand. Teach us how to appropriate Your wonderful gift of peace of mind, even in the midst of trials and troubles and sorrows. 

Help us to show one another how they also can settle down, curled up in Your lap, when they face circumstances that are upsetting. Show us all how You care for us, as a Daddy who is so tender with His little toddlers.

O Father, You are God and we are not. We need You, we need Your wisdom, to not fall prey to the enemy's deceptive ploys. 

Father, grant us Your peaceable wisdom, to discern the truth of all we consider, so that we will be able to see Your plans for us, and Your great Plan of the Ages and our part in it. 

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen. 

Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!