Wise and Understanding?

Good Morning,

James 3:13-18 (NKJV)
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

The first words of these verses, "Who is wise and understanding among you?" sort of stayed in my head as I read the remainder of this short section of Scripture. Then, as I read these verses again it struck me that, indeed, James...the writer of these words...was very wise and completely understanding of the subject he wrote about. But then, I guess when the Holy Spirit is guiding one's mind and hands as he writes, it's obvious that what will be written will truly be wise and totally understanding.

"But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts...This wisdom...is earthly, sensual, demonic." Doesn't that sound like exactly what is wrong with this planet right now? Envy and self seeking? Sensual and demonic? I think that the problems that we've faced in the recent past in the world can pretty much be summed up by what James wrote millennia ago. Thinking that the wisdom used by earthly ruled men was right; thinking that it's good to be self seeking (read greedy); being envious of what others may have in their lives; all of this, if we will think about it, leads to where we are now on this planet.

Fewer and fewer people are able to show their wisdom and understanding by their good conduct shown by what they are doing and have done. The reason? More and more people are caught up in the self seeking and envy that they think are a part of wisdom.

Wisdom from God? Clearly put in what we read today. "The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." It's not necessary for us to go through each of these attributes, I don't think. We are at least fairly bright people and can understand what is meant here without a treatise on what we read.

The verses really spoke into my mind and my heart this morning. Made me think of times when I was pretty much on the wrong side of what James wrote. Caused me to want to take a look at where I am now and to try to do better at being more on God's side of what we read today. Have I made it to being all the way? No, probably not. But I surely see the point here and it will surely make me think more about the using the mind God gave me to be more wise and understanding among God's people and the world. I will most certainly do more to show my works, whatever they may be, are done with more humility and gentleness.

I think that's what God wants of us all. To simply read what He has put here for us. To give serious thought to all of it. To try to live out that which He has told us.

That, I think, is being wise my friends.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David