Wisdom from Above

When I was in high school, I remember one of the biggest controversies at our school my senior year was between the valedictorian and the salutatorian. At a highly academic competitive school, there was constant jostling among the top 10 students to be ranked higher and higher. This desire to be the top ranked student got so bad that the salutatorian falsely accused the valedictorian of cheating. The school, eventually got to the truth, but the valedictorian was so offended by what had happened that he eventually skipped the graduation ceremony to protest. I think its interesting that in our culture (and maybe even more so in Asian culture) there is a struggle and push for academic success, for wisdom. So much that it can be quite cutthroat when it comes to academics. This exists not only in high school but in college, grad school, all the way through the upper echelon of academia. James in his letter to the church spends a lot of time talking about wisdom and how the desire for wisdom fits into our lives as the people of God.

Read James 3:13-18

James talks here about the pursuit of true wisdom. It’s the complete opposite of earthly wisdom. Earthly wisdom would tell you to pursue the elevation of self and leaves you with bitter jealousy and selfish ambition (3:14) But true wisdom isn’t demonstrated with head knowledge but rather in how you live that wisdom out. (3:13) “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.”

In verses 13-14, there is such a clear contrast between meekness and bitter jealousy selfish ambition. What is meekness? Not to be confused with weakness, being meek, can be defined as “trusting God and therefore being set free from anxious self-promotion”1 It’s the ability to allow God to define who we are rather than us defining who we are. The opposite of that, jealousy and selfish ambition is not from God. James uses some powerful terminology here calling it “earthly, unspiritual, and demonic” and it leads to disorder and all kinds of sin. So then how do we know that what we’re pursuing is true wisdom from God rather than something from the world? By the fruit it produces. James 3:17-18, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” That’s quite a list. The challenge for us is to examine our own lives and see if we are living these qualities out. Are we gentle to others, open to reason. Are we impartial and sincere. God desires that we seek the wisdom that comes from Him so that we can live out these characteristics with the rest of the household of God. Notice that the character God calls us to pursue always works itself out within the context of community.

Spend sometime asking God to show you areas in your life where you lack in wisdom from above. Examine your own hearts and see if you are truly bearing fruit that comes from having wisdom from above. Spend time asking God to give you wisdom, “who gives generously to all without reproach” (James 1:5)