Young Adults' Group

The Challenge To Be Wise And Understanding (II)

by Pastor Mark
May 28, 2020

The search for the wise and understanding

“Who is wise and understanding among you?” (James 3:13)

Amidst the trials of life, it is not easy to find someone who would choose to be wise and understanding. He is someone who has the meekness of wisdom which stands in contrast to the wisdom of the world. (James 3:13–16) It is easier to live our life according to the wisdom of the world. But the truly wise and understanding would live and conduct himself distinctly different. What is the source of his wisdom?

A heavenly kind of wisdom

“But the wisdom that is from above…” (James 3:17)

The source of wisdom of the truly wise is from heaven. God is the source of his wisdom. It is a heavenly kind of wisdom. This wisdom can only be found from above and not on this earth. The nature of this wisdom is spiritual and divine. Let us look up to the Lord for this heavenly wisdom.

The marks of heavenly wisdom

What are the distinctive marks of heavenly wisdom? (James 3:17)

1. Pure. It is a wisdom that is clean and chaste. Purity is the first thing that the Apostle James emphasised about this heavenly wisdom. The reason is that it is from this quality of purity that all the other marks stem from.
2. Peaceable. Wisdom that is pure would bring about peace. There is no evil or strife.
3. Gentle. This is the meekness of wisdom where kindness and tenderness would be shown.
4. Willing to yield. The Greek word is “eupeithes”, where “peithes” means to be “persuaded”. There is a willingness to listen to others and to be persuaded to yield to them.
5. Full of mercy. It means to be compassionate. It is wise to be compassionate towards others.
6. Good fruits. The wisdom from above would produce good fruits.
7. Without partiality. The wise would not be partial against anyone.
8. Without hypocrisy. Heavenly wisdom would also not be hypocritical.

Do we have the marks of having heavenly wisdom? Let us be challenged to be truly wise.

The fruit of righteousness

“Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:18)

A wise and understanding man would bear the fruit of righteousness. His righteousness would be sown in peace. He would be a peacemaker. (Matt 5:9) Among the brethren, there would come peace rather than strife. Let us be challenged to sow the fruit of righteousness.

The wise decision of Joseph

Joseph was a wise and understanding man. When his father, Jacob, passed away, Joseph’s brothers feared for their lives as they thought that Joseph would repay them for the evil that they had done against him in selling him to Ishmaelite traders. (Gen 50:15) They pleaded with Joseph for forgiveness and to make them his servants. (Gen 50:18)

Joseph could have decided to avenge himself against his brothers then, to return evil for evil. But he chose to apply heavenly wisdom. Joseph showed such purity in his wise response. He was gentle and merciful to his brothers. He saw the good that God had done through all the events that he experienced rather than the evil that his brothers did. (Gen 50:20) His wisdom indeed came from heaven, from God. His wisdom brought about continued peace rather than strife in the family. Let us choose to be wise and understanding as we face the difficulties of life.

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