13 Are any of you wise and understanding? Show that your actions are good with a humble lifestyle that comes from wisdom. 14 However, if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, then stop bragging and living in ways that deny the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above. Instead, it is from the earth, natural and demonic. 16 Wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and everything that is evil. 17 What of the wisdom from above? First, it is pure, and then peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good actions, fair, and genuine. 18 Those who make peace sow the seeds of justice by their peaceful acts.
Reflection
It is interesting to know that the Hebrews infused the word “Wise” with a rich meaning different than the Greek.
The Hebrews saw Wise as the ability to skillfully apply knowledge to the matter of practical living. The word for “understanding” is used only here in the NT and means a specialist or professional who could skillfully apply his expertise to practical situations. James is asking those who are truly skilled in the art of living with meekness, also rendered as gentleness, all of which is the opposite of arrogance and self-promotion.
The Greeks described wisdom as power under control that only can come from God. James 1:5 says that anyone who needs wisdom should ask God, whose very nature is to give to everyone, without a second thought, without keeping score. Wisdom will certainly be given to those who ask.
The MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition, says the following: James’ Jewish audience recognized this as the understanding and practical skill that was necessary to live life to God’s glory. It was not a wisdom of philosophical speculation, but the wisdom contained in the pure and peaceable absolutes of God’s will revealed in His Word (cf. 3:13, 17) and lived out. Only such divine wisdom enables believers to be joyous and submissive in the trials of life.
Asking of God for wisdom is a necessary part of the believer’s prayer life (cf. Job 28:12–23; Prov. 3:5–7; 1 Thess. 5:17). God knows that there will be trials and that the more believers look to Him the more they will be strengthened and overcome their own inadequacies. As with all His riches (Eph. 1:7; 2:7; 3:8; Phil. 4:19), God has wisdom in abundance (Rom. 11:33) available for those who seek it.
by Clarence Beverage
For Pondering and Prayer
When I first read these 6 verses of scripture, I was struck by how straight forward and clear the words were. If your actions are pure, peaceful, merciful, fair, genuine, good and reflect justice, it is because your life is rooted in God.
A person ruled by jealousy, seeking power, wealth, and status at the expense of others, and denying truth, denies the truth and refuses to choose God’s way, truth and life.
At this point in history, it seems to me that those who deny God are much more brazen and no longer hiding their true character.
What do you see? How does it inspire you?
Prayer: Lord, we see a part of the world as it is — full of rivalry, selfish ambition, and words spoken to wound rather than heal. We see jealousy dressed up as strength, and disorder mistaken for progress.
Forgive us for the times we’ve added to that noise instead of standing against it.
But Lord, You have shown us a better way — a wisdom that comes not from striving to be first, but from a humble life well lived. Plant that wisdom in us: pure before it is popular, peaceable before it is proven right, gentle even when provoked, willing to yield rather than demand our own way. Let there be no gap between what we say and what we do.
Fill us with mercy that shows itself in action, not just in feeling. We long to do good in a world that often rewards the opposite — strengthen us to outlast conflict with those who refuse to accept your truth.
Make us peacemakers, Lord — not peace-fakers who avoid hard things, but people who do the harder work of building something good, together, through the power of Your Spirit. Amen.
