Wisdom out of Heaven

James 3:13-18
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17But 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. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

Wisdom out of Heaven

Heavenly wisdom in our life is not just born out of the words we speak, but out of a life well lived. Wisdom bears its fruit in words and in actions. Wisdom from above finds the Father to be the source of all things and the object of all things. When we live in the course of the stream that flows out of the throne, through the earth and back into the throne then we live and have our being in the cycle of God’s life and wisdom.
When our focus is on the world and the things of the world then we covet worldly things. With earthly wisdom we envy those that have and we despise those that have not. Earthly wisdom is focused on the material realm. It is often jealous and resentful of those who have more than we do. It’s focus is on those things that perish with the using. That wisdom is consumed with getting ahead, with power, titles, riches and position. It is a wisdom that strives to get its identity out worldly significance rather than heavenly calling.
The wisdom of God teaches us who our real father is. It teaches us that our identity is not in what the world gives us; it is in Him. He has given us His identity as sons and when we know who we are then we can come into the godly wisdom of operating out of a heavenly and eternal perspective. We are not moved by those things that motivate from earthly wisdom. Our eyes and our heart is set upon our Father from which every good and perfect gift comes. Godly wisdom comes with a whole different agenda than the earthly wisdom does. Earthly wisdom is about self preservation, selfish ambition and self concern. Verse 15 in the Amplified says it like this, ” This [superficial] wisdom is not such as comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual (animal), even devilish (demoniacal).” It comes from a beast nature, not a God nature.
Godly wisdom has died to self. Self is simply an instrument in Father’s hand to carry out His will, design and purpose. The life submitted and fully surrendered to the Father operates out of His heart and nature. It is pure in that it has no agenda except to love with the heart of God. It is peace-loving, knowing that God dwells in an atmosphere of complete peace, because all is at rest in Him. There is no need for strife and contention when nothing is for me, but all is for the Father. It is considerate, because it puts others before itself. If self has truly died, then there is no selfish motive to contend for. It is submissive, willing to yield to reason and not self-willed. It is full of mercy , because heavenly wisdom carries with it the heart of the Father; his love, heart of compassion, and desire for restoration and reconciliation. Out of the heart of godly wisdom is born the good fruit of the Spirit as given in Galatians 5:22-26, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” It fits right in with what James is saying here. Finally, heavenly wisdom is impartial and sincere. It doesn’t operate out of prejudice, favoritism, hidden agendas, or selfish motives. It is straight forward, letting it’s yes be yes and it no be no. It doesn’t waiver and change it’s mind in favor of the circumstance.
“Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”
What is a peacemaker? A peacemaker is one who brings heaven to earth and who brings the heart of God to the hearts of mankind. He demonstrates through the love of God in him, the same love and heart the Father has for His creation. Their ministry is one of restoration and reconciliation as they draw the hearts of God’s children back to the Father with the revelation of His love and power. They are instruments that the Holy Spirit orchestrates to perform a symphony of His love and grace. They are not self-righteous, full of prejudice or bigotry. They are not come to judge and condemn the unrighteous, but to reconcile them back to the Father through the manifest love of Christ operating through their lives. Out of that heart they will reap a harvest of righteousness, because Christ is our righteousness. ‘It is the goodness and kindness of God that leads men to repentance (Romans 2:4).’
When we start truly operating out of godly wisdom our perspective will be different from that of the world. It is easy for us to foolishly fall back into that way of thinking and behaving, but we must be ever mindful of who we are as the sons of God’s righteousness. We are here to make a difference for the kingdom by the way we live, act and think. Our words and conversations are those of life and not of the chatter that finds fault or lifts us up while tearing others down. We know who we are, so it doesn’t matter what the world thinks or says about us. Our life and our identity are in Christ and out of that identity we operate out of the wisdom from above.

Blessings,
#kent