Aaand we’re back! After a two week break, our daily devotions on the “Life Letter from James” resume today. Our theme this week is wisdom, and our focus passage is James 3:13-18. Before we begin, though, let’s note that “wisdom” is the understanding of what to do in a given set of circumstances in order to accomplish a desired outcome. It’s knowing what to do and how to do it. And when it comes to Godly wisdom, the desired outcome is always to please God! In every situation, Godly wisdom knows what to do and how to do it in order to please God.
Daily Readings: James 3:13-18 and 1 Kings 3:1-15
In chapter 3, James writes about a life characterised by good deeds because of “the humility that comes from wisdom”. We could say that the person who is truly wise understands how fragile, frail and fallible he or she is. True wisdom recognises our own limitations and longs for God’s help to live in a God-pleasing way.
In 1 Kings 3, Solomon had that humility. Having been crowned as king and with the “world at his feet” Solomon acknowledged to God, with great humility, “I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties … So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” (v.7 & 9) As it did for Solomon, wisdom begins with the acknowledgment of our own lack and our desperate need of God’s grace-gift of wisdom.
And when we acknowledge our need, God delights to give us the grace of His wisdom. God was delighted with Solomon’s humility and said to him, ‘Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.’ (v.11-12)
Lord, may my life be characterised by the wisdom that flows from humility, and by the humility that flows from wisdom – in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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