Day 93
James 3:17 NIV
"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."
We already know the wisdom of God will not contradict the Word of God. There are also ways we can test the source of wisdom we believe we have received. James gives us eight points to consider. Let us put them in question form.
Is it pure? This question will be settled to a great degree by measuring it through God's Word.
Does it produce peace? As much as possible, we should choose the direction that will produce a peaceful outcome. The Bible instructs us to do our best to live peaceably with everyone. Everything that is pure will not necessarily promote peace.
Will we be submissive when we do it? God respects order. If we do things that prove we are rebellious to those in authority, we have not operated in God's wisdom.Is it full of mercy? We do not need to do everything we have a right to do. It is God's wisdom for us to show mercy. That does not necessarily mean we should allow someone to get away with wrongdoing. It does mean, however, that we should not go to the extent we could rightfully go to. This is wise, because we need very much to sow seeds in our areas of need. We all need mercy.
Does it produce good fruit? A tree is known by its fruit. We can determine the wisdom of our actions by the long-term results.
Is it impartial? We must be fair, because God is fair. That does not mean we should treat everyone the same. It just means our treatment should not vary for selfish reasons. In other words, we should not give special treatment for personal gain.
Is it sincere? Are we performing to give people a false impression of us? If we are trying to win favor by living two lives, we are certainly not representing God. He does not alter His standards for anyone. Nobody wants clean food on a dirty plate. Most people want to be ministered to by those who do what they do from their hearts.
If we would use this checklist to examine our decisions, it can save us from many blunders. We can become more and more like Jesus, if we practice operating in heavenly wisdom.
My actions will be pure, peaceable, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, impartial and sincere. They will produce good, long-term results.