James 3 -- The Marks Of A Truly Wise Man

God’s version of a “wise man” is very different from ours.  Too often, I think that we give definitions more akin to a wise guy than a wise man.

I loved how my commentary fleshed a lot of this out.  I read, “James tests a person’s spiritual health … self-diagnosis begins with sins of SPEECH.”  There was a warning particularly for those who teach God’s word – they’ll get heavier judgment if they fail to practice what they teach.  “A teacher can never hope to lead others beyond what he himself has practiced.”

Regarding our speech, “in our efforts to injure others we may succeed, but we always inflict the deeper injury upon ourselves.”

James talks about the marks of a truly wise man – not a man with tons of knowledge, but one who knows the godly way of applying what he’s learned to his daily life.  Those marks are:

1)       Genuine humility – not putting on airs, but putting others at ease right away;

2)      Other-worldly behavior;

3)      Not living for the body but for the spirit;

4)      Morally and spiritually clean;

5)      Enduring peaceably insult and false accusation without seeing a need to justify himself;

6)      Tenderhearted;

7)      Easy to reason with;

8)      Not vindictive;

9)      Ready to forgive;

10)   Habitually showing kindness to others, especially to those who don’t deserve it.

The world would look at that list and say, “I’ll chew him up and spit him out!”  But God says, “There goes a man after My own heart!”  I’d rather listen to God any day!

Father, You know where I fall short in this list.  Work on me.  Change me.  Help me to conform to Your idea of a wise man.  I especially need it now, Father, and as usual, Your timing is perfect.  Help me to be on guard today in the areas I most need help with.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford