WORLDLY Wise or WORDLY Wise?

Here's where I'm up to in James 3... (I'm using the New Living Translation this time.)

** WHAT IS WISDOM? **
Notice the two types of wisdom.

~~ Firstly, there is the worldly wisdom, which James says is NOT God's kind of wisdom. And note the seven characteristics in the bold print...

"If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. (NKJ says "the meekness of wisdom".)
"But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. (v.13-15, NLT)

"Such things are
*earthly,
*unspiritual, and
*demonic. For wherever there is
*jealousy and
*selfish ambition, there you will find
*disorder and
*evil of every kind." (v16, NLT)

Those are the complete opposite to meekness (which I looked at in the previous post). That is what wisdom is not. But many in the world, claiming to be wise, are just like that.

~~ James goes on, and notice the seven characterists of true wisdom.

"But the wisdom from above is first of all
*pure. It is also
*peace loving,
*gentle at all times, and
*willing to yield to others. It is
*full of mercy and good deeds. It
*shows no favoritism and is
*always sincere." (v.17, NLT)

(These look very much the same as the meekness list in the previous post.) So then, when we are wise, we are meek, and when we are meek, we are wise.

That is the wisdom that comes from God. That is the wisdom we are to get, as it says in Proverbs:

"Wisdom is the principal thing: therefore GET WISDOM. And in all your getting get understanding." (Proverbs 4:7)

** BUT, HOW DO WE GET IT? **

~~ Firstly, James gives us the answer in chapter 1, and that is to simply ASK!!

"If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people 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." (v.6-8, NLT)

If we doubt, we are wavering between the WORLD'S wisdom and the WORD'S wisdom. It's a matter of whom we choose to listen to. Sometimes the world's wisdom seems to make more sense. Sometimes what God says doesn't. But He doesn't tell us that we need to understand it all. He only wants us to trust Him.

And then it's a matter of whom do we fear??... which leads me to my next point....

~~ So secondly, we are to FEAR GOD!! (As is says in Psalms and Proverbs):

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever." (Psalm 111:10, NKJ)
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (Proverbs 9:10, NKJ)

Now, that can be confusing. As Christians, we are told not to be afraid. So what does it mean to fear the Lord? That's biggen!! It will have to be the subject of another post.

But for now, I have one more question ...

** WHEN DO WE KNOW THAT WE'VE IT?? **
Well, I guess it is evident by the godly fruits of meekness. (See v17.)