THE WISDOM OF JAMES: For Life In God's WorldSample

A vital piece of equipment on the road to Christian wholeness in the midst of trials is “wisdom.” Today, “wisdom” often means something like “intelligence” or “insight”. But in the Bible, it’s more about behaviour. “Wisdom” means understanding how to live in God’s world. To know how to act in accordance with God’s will in the many and varied circumstances of life is to be wise.

And how do you attain wisdom? You “ask God,” says James, “who gives generously to all without finding fault” (1:5). Wisdom is a gift that God is glad to offer. 

These comforting words have a qualification, that when we ask for wisdom we should do so with an attitude of trust and devotion, rather than partly being devoted to God and partly to the world. This warning relates to an irony we’ll see in chapter 2, where the recipients of the letter were not only being trodden upon by those above them but were themselves treading on those beneath them. That kind of ‘double-mindedness’ will not lead to the granting of wisdom from God. 

Q. What are the areas of your life where you could most use some of God’s wisdom?

Prayer

God of all wisdom, please give me the knowledge of how to live well even as I face life’s trials. Please be with your people who are suffering and grant them your comfort. Amen.