James 3:13-18--Wisdom from Above

James 3:13-18 English Standard Version (ESV)
Wisdom from Above
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

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This again goes back to orthodoxy and orthopraxy.  If someone claims to be wise, they should not only speak the truth they claim to know but should live it out in meekness and humility for all to see.  Is there truth worth anything if even they won't follow their own advice or if the way they tell you to live is ineffectual in making the change that they claim it will bring about?

All truth that God gives will be consistent with His nature and Word and will bring Him glory.  Yes, He is able to use the pagans who don't believe in Him, and yes, He's even able to accomplish His purposes through people who didn't intend to give Him the glory, but we as people that claim to be His children should look like Him and not be full of jealousy or conceit so as to hinder or even twist the message that we are trying to convey.  We should not speak judgement against those we want to get even with or speak blessings on others because we want to get something in return from them.  The gospel is not about us.

God's wisdom is from heaven and is not like the wisdom of men--it is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, fully of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.  It must be this way because God's words and teachings must be in alignment with God's character and nature and the purpose of these words will be in line with the mission of God and the Church to bring about a harvest of souls so that the Prince of Peace can send out His ambassadors of peace to bring peace to even more people so that all those who are called to be the children of God can be at peach with God and with each other.