7 Scars of Wisdom

S

(James 3:17) But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield [reasonable], full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy (NRSV).

O

Apparently, two kinds of wisdom are available to us: heavenly-spiritual or earthly-unspiritual-demonic (v. 15). Double-minded people grope for both kinds but end up with only the latter type, which bears the fruits of complete instability, disorder, and wickedness (1:5-8; 3:13-18). Getting Heaven's wisdom seems to be an if-then condition: James encourages us that if our ambition for God's wisdom is pure, then the results of His discipline of our lives will be evidenced by these seven marks of His wisdom (see also Hebrews 12:11).

A (Personal)

How then do I get this pure wisdom from God and its seven, highly prized evidences? James instructs: Just ask God for it. However, when asking (praying), ask from a heart that completely trusts God and delights only in fulfilling God's pleasures. His wisdom is not for fulfilling my hedonistic preferences or selfish lusts.

A (Psychological)

In the process of helping batterers learn to stop abusing their partner, several interventions include analyzing the emotions that trigger behaviors. Then, working backwards, they analyze the thoughts that trigger those emotions, and finally, they identify the belief constructs that trigger their destructive thought patterns. The hypothesis is that beliefs trigger thoughts, which trigger emotions, which trigger behaviors. What's missing, though, is the will. One might hold a belief system but still not be committed to it (James 2:19).

Existentialist Kierkegaard wrote the book, Purity of Heart Is to Will One Thing, and he defined it as seeking Good. He, as a Christian philosopher, believed Jesus Christ alone was purely good (Luke 18:19; Romans 10:4). Kierkegaard asks four questions to help people identify their primary motives and ambitions (central to what James discusses in this text): (1) What is your preoccupation with life? (2) In your occupation, what is your attitude of mind? Or how do you carry out your occupation? (3) What means do you use to carry out your occupation? Kierkegaard adds that means is as important as the end, as aim is a better measurement of the goal that where the bullet actually hits. And (4) What is your attitude towards others ... is it one of integrity, purity, and authenticity?

P

Thank You, Lord, for teaching us from Your Word how we might know our motives are pure from Your perspective. As James explained (4:7-10), I, too, (1) submit myself to You, (2) resist the devil's deceptions, (3) seek intimacy with You, (4) eliminate all competing motives from my heart, (5) commit myself to only doing good, (6) engage myself fully in repentance, and (7) humble myself to the supremacy of Your wisdom and goodness.