We say good-bye to the beautiful river town of Portomarin through rows of trees on a dirt road. Some of the memorable moments include visiting a blind man stamping pilgrim passports in an old chapel, a rose grafted into a Christmas tree. Today’s reading from James 3: 13-18 and the passage on Godly Wisdom in verse 17, is something I journaled to ensure that I remembered and could reflect on it. It turns out, that some 8 years later my college-bound son Joshua would ask me how to acquire and define “Wisdom” to which I shared my journal entries on this very passage. James 3: 17 – “Wisdom that comes from heaven is…”
Pure: single source. Like 24 carat gold which is the way to explain this metal that is not mixed with other metals, Godly Wisdom is 24 carat Wisdom and not mixed with anything else. It is pure, un-mixed by anything from the world. Its purity is consistent and always has the same character.
Peace-loving: Unity. Wisdom always has the long game in mind in seeking peace and unity. i.e., without internal or external strife or conflict.
Considerate: Other-focused. Wisdom is considerate, operating from the well-being of others. This is an important trait because purity and peace-loving unity without an others-focus could lead to an insular, if not fascist, world view.
Submissive: Humility in knowing there’s always a higher authority. Wisdom aligns with a higher authority, not making oneself God.
Full of Mercy: Give yourself mercy so that you have the capacity to extend it to others. Wisdom operates by first extending mercy to ourselves so that we can create capacity to extend mercy to others.
Good Fruit: Proven track record of the results of where and how you spend your time. To discern Wisdom we can look at the track record of the thoughts and actions that are birthed from it.
Impartial: Without Bias. Wisdom is free from bias and able to birth action with objectivity.
Sincere: Earnest Heart. Wisdom comes from a sincere heart. Psalm 139: 23-24.
I wished that I had known James 3: 17 in my teen years and beyond. Understanding the definition of Godly Wisdom and practicing how to operate in it would have saved me many a mistake in my relationships, career pursuit, and life in general. My prayer to you reading this and joining us along our James Camino series is that you receive Godly Wisdom in your life and that God’s Wisdom would transform your hearts, minds, and behavior to live God’s best life for you.