Wisdom or No Wisdom, You Choose by Michael Podhaczky

It is helpful to have wise people in our life who can help us make informed decisions; this, however, does not excuse us from being wise ourselves. We need to learn to make wise choices in difficult situations, acting in a way that is God honouring.

In the letter of James in 3:13-18, he compares two kinds of wisdom. There is the wisdom from above, or from God and the wisdom from below or from the earth. He said that they both could be seen quite clearly by what is done. He says that,

“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let them show by their good behaviour their deeds in the gentleness of wisdom” (Jas 3:13 NASB).

Its characteristics see the human wisdom of,

¹⁴ “bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth… ¹⁶ For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing” (Jas 3:14,16 NASB).

While the qualities of the wisdom from God are,

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy” (Jas 3:17 NASB).

So, as Christ-followers, we can either live by God’s wisdom or no wisdom, we choose. Having the wrong kind of wisdom will get us nowhere except into strife and cause all sorts of problems. James was clear when describing its origin,

“This wisdom is not that which comes down from above but is earthly, natural, demonic” (Jas. 3:15 NASB).

Wow, this is very revealing in that, if we function from this kind of wisdom, we are not living in God’s will. However, if we live guided by God’s wisdom, the evidence will be seen by its nature.

“And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (Jas 3:18 NASB).

So, faith in God and His ways enables a way for His wisdom to be working in and through our lives. If we notice the context, these verses sit between teaching on the use of the tongue and pride and selfishness.

What evidence of God’s wisdom can be seen in our lives daily? Perhaps it could be time to ask the Spirit of God to search our heart and see what the wisdom that we live by is?

Pause in His presence for a moment and think this over…