Reading: James 1:1-8
Speaker: Paul McCabe
Thoughts on Wise Living
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting a tomato in a fruit salad.
We can all laugh about this difference, and rightly so. Just imagine enjoying a nice bowl of pineapple, mango, and the odd glacier cherry, when you suddenly bite in a ripe tomato and your appetite turns sour. What an image. The stuff of comedy gold.
But the bigger question is not whether tomatoes belong beside carrots, potatoes, or runner beans at the supermarket. The real question is where do we mere mortals go to find wisdom?
James, the Lord’s brother, did not waste time getting to this vital question when he wrote the New Testament’s earliest epistle. After greeting the Jewish Christians who were scattered abroad, James laid the garden path from worldly woe to otherworldly wisdom.
He offered an unrooted and already persecuted Church the ultimate silver lining. Their world was fast becoming dangerous. Hardship and alienation were at their door. They needed true wisdom to survive the storm ahead. What was James’ solution? What was his timeless advice? To lean on God, of course, the ultimate source of wisdom.
The unifying theme of James’ letter is faith. Without deep, abiding faith, it is futile to turn to God and ask for wisdom. If faith is not our anchor, James knew that believers are ‘as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind’ (James 1:6).
Have you ever appealed to the Almighty for guidance, then caught yourself mid-prayer and realised your loyalties are split? You heard your own words and knew that you had one foot in God-can-go-it camp, but another in by-my-own-bootstraps land? We have all been in this dangerous spot.
I know, the Bible is not simply an instruction manual for right living, but it is that also! Read Deuteronomy, Proverbs, Psalms, Daniel. You will find redemptive history in full swing, but you will also find invaluable and otherworldly wisdom on how to live well.
James’ letter is often mischaracterised as a book about works and actions above all else. But for James, saving faith is simply trust that leads to action. Why would I love my neighbour and seek justice in this world? Not because it is easy. Far from it! Rage and greed are easy. No toddler is taught to bite, yell, or snatch toys. Those traits come free of charge. But as Christians, we love others and value justice because Christ commands it, and our renewed minds know that our Saviour is the true source of wisdom. So, we would be fools to disobey.
James does not mince words. He says we will face trials in this life. He says we must turn to God when trials arrive. But he also warns that those who lean on their own might ‘should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do’ (James 1:7-8).
Instability is dangerous in a world full of danger. Self-confidence severs us from God. It is just that simple. James could have begun his letter by puffing out his chest, saying: “Listen up! This is James, the Lord’s own brother! Hear my words and tremble!” But is that what he does? Not a chance. Just the opposite in fact. James introduces himself as ‘a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ’ (James 1:1). Talk about humility. Talk about leaning on God.
So, when you are next seeking the Lord for wisdom, will you seek humility first? Will you abandon useless bootstraps and be anchored by your faith? I will try, and often I will fail. But God will never fail me, and neither will His wisdom.