I've been challenged 😊 Wisdom from above...

James 3:17

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

First, I want to point out that the book of James starts with a wonderful promise:

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

This is good news for all of us. If we need wisdom, all we have to do ask for it!

Perhaps the difficulty is admitting we need God’s help.

I always say “Life happens, let’s enjoy it… but life is also hard, and it’s much easier when we have God’s wisdom.

Remember that knowledge and wisdom aren’t the same.

Knowledge refers to the accumulation of facts, Whereas wisdom gives us understanding of what those facts mean.

We could be the smartest person in the world and still be a fool. Anyone can gain knowledge, but only God can give wisdom.

And our scripture verse for today shows us what God’s wisdom look like.

And the first mark of wisdom is purity. Because God is pure, everything that comes from him is pure.

Purity comes first because without it the rest of this list won’t matter.

As Jesus said in Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God”

That’s not just theory; that’s how life actually works.

A person whose life is characterized by true wisdom will seek to be pure.

While a heart that is cluttered with wrong attitudes and evil thoughts, will see everything but God.

The Greek word translated “pure” here in [James 3:17] refers to spiritual integrity and moral sincerity.

It is freedom from bitter jealousy, selfish ambition, and arrogant self-promotion. Christ is our perfect example of purity (1 John 3:3).

You see, a true believer will have pure desires. The deepest part of him desires to do God’s will, serve God, and love God.

In Psalm 51:7 David cries out, “Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”

The true believer hates his sin. Rising out of a believer’s innermost being is a longing for what is clean, pure, holy, and honest.

Purity of heart is the motive of someone who seeks to live a life of godly wisdom

God says in Ezekiel 11:19 that He will “take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh”

[And] That new heart will be consumed with purity rather than self.

Yet, we will still sin because our new heart is incarcerated in our old flesh. Our new heart fights against our flesh.

That’s why Paul said in Romans 7: 22-23, “For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, ²³ but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.”

Remember James lists purity first because this is where wisdom begins.

Purity puts us out of step with the world and puts us in step with God’s will, then we will be peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and have good fruits, impartial and sincere.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” so we persevere in battle against the world, the flesh, and the Devil… be encouraged because one day the fight will be finished.

For, “We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is” (1 John 3:2).        A pure life is necessary for a wise life.