Heavenly Versus Demonic Wisdom

James 3:13
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.

Application: 

When it comes to navigating the twists and turns of this highway called life, wisdom lets us press the brake, flip the turn signal, turn the steering wheel, engage the accelerator, and navigate heavy traffic. 

Wisdom is the application of heavenly knowledge to earthly living.

James asks his readers, Who among you is wise and has understanding? Notice what he does not answer. He doesn’t say it’s the one who has read widely, earned advanced degrees, and can wax eloquent about any subject. Rather, the wise person shows that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom. 

In other words, wise deeds prove a wise life. Few believers need a change in their circumstances as much as they need wisdom to manage them. For instance, a Christian man doesn’t need a new spouse; he needs God’s wisdom to love and live with the spouse he has.

The hearts of some people are characterized by bitter envy and selfish ambition (3:14). Such attitudes may enable them to go places in life, but this kind of “wisdom” does not come down from above. It’s demonic and comes straight from hell (3:15). Remember, mere human wisdom is an expression of Satan’s agenda. To convey heavenly wisdom, you must communicate with heaven.

Human wisdom is rooted in selfish ambition, and its fruit is bitter envy. Contrast that with the root and fruit of heavenly wisdom. True wisdom comes from above; the Lord is its source. What does it look like? It’s pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense (3:17). Whereas human wisdom tears others down, godly wisdom builds others up. It’s authentic and leads to peace rather than strife. Do you want to bear the fruit of righteousness? Then you must sow and cultivate peace (3:18).

Reference: Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 1343.

To God be the glory!

Our Lord Jesus Christ created everything! By Him, For Him!

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26

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Disclaimer
When God inspires me, I write or post articles that glorify God. I invite you to view this post as a Bible study. Like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, I encourage you to search the Scriptures to determine whether what I have posted is true. Always consult your church ministers regarding biblical matters. I am not a professional writer, so there may be grammatical or spelling errors. I strive to write as clearly and efficiently as possible. My prayer is that this message will inspire you to seek the Lord with all your heart and bring glory to His Holy name. Your brother in Christ, Ricardo.