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Wisdom and Peace (James 3:13-18)
James has already begun his letter with the wonderful promise, "If
any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously
to all without finding fault, and it will be given him" (1:5) The
wisdom of God is for everyone who asks, for James writes, "If
ANY of you lacks wisdom" and, "God gives generously to ALL".
This wisdom is not for an elect few but for anyone who asks.
Faith, James has written, is more than an intellectual assent; saving
faith issues in works (2:14-20) In the same way, wisdom is not superior
understanding, not a set of correct propositional statements, but
a vital quality that is practical and that has as much to do with
how we live as what we know and understand:
"Who is wise and understanding among
you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility
that comes from wisdom" (v13)
Wisdom is seen, not just heard!
James sees two kinds of wisdom operating in his world and both are
identified by how they manifest, by what we see issuing from them,
and they are direct opposites. The first, James tells us, is,
"earthy, unspiritual, of the devil".
It begins with, "envy and selfish
ambition" and manifests in, "disorder
and every evil practice".
The second kind of wisdom "comes
from heaven", is the product of "purity"
(v.17), i.e. purity of motive that could never produce evil, and
is marked by seven characteristics. In the Greek James achieves
a very helpful alliteration in listing the practical virtues of
wisdom, the first four beginning with 'e' and the last two beginning
with 'a'. I mention this simply to illustrate how important it was
for believers to easily memorise these things and perhaps to regret
that the effect is lost in translation. Whatever happened to memory
verses? These are not so difficult to remember if we try:
"Eirenikos" - Peace-loving, or peaceable
"Epieikes" - Patient, gentle, considerate
"Eupeithes" - Persuadable, open to reason
"Eleous" - Pardoning, compassionate, full of mercy
"Adiakritos" - Unbiased, impartial
"Anypokritos" - Unfeigned, without hypocrisy
The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. A heart that
is filled with envy and selfishness is earthy, unspiritual, of the
devil and produces disorder and evil of all kinds. The heart that
is pure is heavenly, spiritual, of God and is peaceful, patient,
persuadable, pardoning, unbiased and unfeigned.
If our hearts are right we will be first peaceable. Paul reminds
us that "we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ro.5:1).Out of this peace will come
gentleness; an attitude of kindness that 'will not exact strict
claims', and the capacity to be reasoned with; willing to defer
on those things that are not fundamental, unalterable principles.
We do not take issue over every little thing but are full of mercy
and good fruits, i.e. loving our neighbour enough to show it in
how we conduct ourselves. In all this we are impartial and unbiased;
favouring no one above another, a subject James has already dealt
with.
In all our witnessing it is well to remember that it is what we
are that counts every bit as much as what we say. Knowing a thing
or two is worth less than showing a thing or two.