Difference in Operations (3:13-14 & 17) {continued from yesterday}

It's such a relief to look at the signs of real spiritual wisdom.

Meekness (v. 13). Meekness is not a sign of weakness; it is strength that is kept in check. The humble person does not put themselves first. The Greek word was used to describe a horse that had been broken so that it could be controlled. The humble person only wants to please God and not people. Meekness is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:23); it cannot be made by people. Some people mistake false humility for meekness, but it is not real.

James 3:13 uses an intriguing phrase, "meekness of wisdom." The word "meekness" describes the right use of power, while wisdom guides the right use of knowledge. They fit together. A truly wise person will show that they are a child of God in their daily life (behavior means "conversation"). Attitude and behavior are inseparable.

Purity (v. 17a). "First pure" shows how important holiness is. God is holy, so the wisdom that comes from above is also pure. This word means "free from sin and defilement." James used it again in James 4:8, where he said, "purify your hearts," or "make your hearts chaste." God's wisdom makes life pure. The wisdom of man can lead to sin. There is a spiritual purity that leads to a pure relationship with the Lord (2 Cor. 11:3), and there is a worldliness that makes the person a spiritual adulterer (James 4:4).

Peace (v. 17b). James 4:1–2 says that man's wisdom leads to war, competition, and rivalry. God's wisdom, on the other hand, leads to peace. It is a holy peace, not a peace that comes from giving in. God never says, "peace at any cost." The church's purity is more important than its peace. There will be peace in the church if it is pure and dedicated to God. Although Isaiah 32:17 was not historically written to the church, the trust holds when it says, "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever." The church can never be at peace if it hides sins and acts like they aren't there. Man's wisdom says, "Cover up sin!" "Keep things together!" God's wisdom says, "Tell the truth about your sins, and My peace will keep things together!"

Gentleness (v. 17c). One writer calls this "sweet reasonableness." It means being moderate without giving in and being gentle without being weak. The gentle person avoids starting fights on purpose and avoids lying to keep the peace. Carl Sandburg called Abraham Lincoln a "man of velvet steel." This is a good way to describe gentleness.

Compliance (v. 17d). God's wisdom makes people who believe in Him easy to get along with and work with. A person may be hard and stubborn due to their wisdom. The compliant person is open to hearing all sides of a story, but he won't change his mind about what he believes. He can disagree without being rude. He is "quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger" (James 1:19). A lot of people think that being stubborn means being sure of something and needing things to go their way. When God's wisdom is at work, people are willing to listen, think, pray, and do what God tells them to do. Another way to say this word is "giving in to persuasion."

Mercy (v. 17e). Being "full" of something means being "controlled by" it. Mercy guides the person who follows God's wisdom. "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (Luke 6:36). God gives us what we don't deserve because He is gracious, and He does this because He is merciful. He doesn't necessarily give us what we want. The parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) tells us what mercy means. It was kind of the Samaritan to help a Jewish stranger. The only thing he could get out of it was the blessing that comes from doing God's will, and the victim couldn't pay him back. That is compassion.

Fruitfulness (v. 17f). Faithful people bear fruit. God's wisdom doesn't leave a life empty; it fills it up. The Spirit bears fruit for God's glory (see John 15:1–16). The lawyer in Luke 10:25–37 was open to talking about being a good neighbor, but he didn't want to be one and help someone else. God's wisdom is useful; it changes lives and leads to good works that honor God.

Decisiveness (v. 17g). The word means having one mind and is the opposite of "wavering" (James 1:6). When you rely on the world's wisdom, people push you to change your mind or see things from a different angle. You don't have to hesitate when you have God's wisdom; you can be sure and not be afraid. Wisdom from above gives you strength from above.

Honesty (v. 17h). In Greek, the word that is translated as "hypocrite" in our New Testament means "one who wears a mask, an actor." When people are wise, they might not be honest or real. When God's wisdom is at work, people are honest and open, as in "speaking the truth in love" (Eph. 4:15). James says that wherever you see God's people pretending and hiding, you can be sure that the wisdom of this world is guiding their work. God hates "religious politics." "Faith is living without plotting and conniving."
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God's wisdom works very differently from the wisdom of this world. Church officers and leaders would benefit from reflecting on their lives and ministries in accordance with James's writings. Although the local church is an organism, it is also an organization, but it can't rely on the "Madison Avenue" techniques that work for businesses. God's thoughts and ways are much higher than ours! "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God." (1 Cor. 2:12).