As many of you know, Pastor Mary has been offering a six-week Bible study series titled, “The Inner Struggle for Holiness – A Focus on Faith, Fruit, Family, and Future”. This Wednesday night was week six of the study and the focus was on “Faithfulness”. During the study we connected faithfulness to obedience, endurance, reliability, trustworthiness, loyalty, and so much more. Today’s passage is a continuation of Wednesday night’s study, as James reminds us that our faith is demonstrated through our actions, inactions, words, and genuinely through our lives.
It is by our faith that we, as believers, should be drawn to true wisdom. James makes sure to reveal that there is a distinct difference between true Godly wisdom and false worldly wisdom. The freedom we have in Christ allows us to receive God’s wisdom through humility, peace, love, gentleness, and it produces honorable living. While worldly wisdom is divisive, it causes bitterness, jealousy, selfishness, pride, lying, and it produces evil living.
The wisdom we have from above is pure. It is the place where our freedom in Christ is birthed. When we choose this freedom, we are filled with God’s mercy and all the fruits of His Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control – Galatians 5:22-23. Living by these fruits causes us to be peacemakers who not only plant seeds of peace, but who can have hope in Christ to reap a harvest of His righteousness.
James 3:13-18 (NLT)
True Wisdom Comes from God
13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the freedom we have in Christ that leads each one of us into a deeper place of holy wisdom. Holy Spirit, please continue to impart Your wisdom to each of us. We want to have a heart that is in alignment with You as we continue to grow in humility, peace, and mercy. Place a watch over our mouths so that our words reflect You, Jesus. We want to be Your peacemakers who plant seeds of Your righteousness so that lives grow in faith and honor You, Jesus. We ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.