Saturday 2 November 2024
James 3: 13 – 18
Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
Reflection
This description of the wisdom from above is, for me, inspirational, aspirational and deeply challenging. It brings to mind other New Testament passages. Paul writing to the Christians in Corinth talks of love not insisting on its own way. In the letter to the churches of Galatia peace and gentleness are cited as fruits of the Spirit. Matthew’s gospel records Jesus pronouncing blessing on makers of peace.
Praise be that this is God’s nature, seen in Jesus – pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.
The contrast with a supposed wisdom that springs from envy and selfish ambition and results in disorder is stark. Here is a salutary reminder to seriously question aspects of our culture that foster self-absorbed competitiveness and career progression, both in ourselves and in others.
The letter of James is full of very directly expressed imperatives about practical issues in churches. Today’s verses have a rather different tone. But these words too are about the practicalities of living with others, in church, at home, everywhere. We may rightly feel that when it comes to wisdom from above, as individuals and as churches, we have a way to go. Yet the pastor/teacher who wrote these words did so believing that such wisdom is within our grasp, by the grace of God. I think that he knew women and men who lived out that wisdom from above. He had experience of people who lived God’s wisdom in practical situations and in doing so created space for communities to thrive.
Eugene H. Peterson, in his introduction to this letter in The Message, writes, “Wisdom is not primarily knowing the truth, although it certainly includes that; it is skill in living. For, what good is a truth if we don’t know how to live it? What good is an intention if we can’t sustain it?”
Prayer
Thank you, Lord, for inspirational checklists,
such as the itemising of aspects of wisdom
in today’s text.
May we keep bringing it to mind through the day,
using it as a prompt for how to behave
in all our interactions.
Would you please speak through this process
so that we see more clearly
our very rough edges.
When we mess up, as we surely will,
help us to turn to You
for restoration. Amen