“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” James 3:17

Many of us are familiar with the story of King Solomon, who, in 1 Kings 3, was told by God that he could ask for anything he wanted and would receive it. Instead of asking for a long life, riches, popularity, or power like many of us probably would, Solomon asked for wisdom. He understood that the “wisdom that comes from heaven” is the one thing we need more than anything else if we are to be what God wants us to be.

As we turn our attention to James 3:13-18 this week, what we find is that wisdom is not some intellectual gift that makes us intelligent. True wisdom does not come from a high I.Q. or from high scores on college entrance exams. As we know, the smartest person in the room is not necessarily the wisest.

True wisdom is a gift from God, given to help us live our lives in a manner that is pleasing to Him. It’s the kind of wisdom that affects every area of our everyday lives. James reminds us that this kind of wisdom is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. That is a long list, but one that encapsulates what it means to be the kind of person who blesses instead of curses, whose faith is shown in their works, and who shows mercy instead of casting judgment.

Without wisdom, we cannot be what God calls us to be. As we continue in our sermon series this week, I pray that God will continue to fill us with the presence of the Holy Spirit so that we can experience “the wisdom that comes from heaven.” I look forward to seeing you either in person or online.

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Aaron