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Who is wise and understanding among you ? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. [James 3:13] Being wise is not cunningness. There is a vital difference between the two. Therefore, there are three things to learn and assimilate from the verse above, regarding being wise. They are –
1) Attribute of wisdom
2) Application of wisdom in your life
3) Attitude that is key to practicing wisdom which is humility
I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery, that is Christ Himself in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. [Colossians 2:2,3]
For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. But to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the wisdom and power of God. [1 Corinthians 1:18,24]
Your life needs to be the proof. It is the challenge that God’s word puts across to you. As James says, your good conduct must show that your works are done in the meekness of wisdom. If you profess to be wise your good behaviour must prove it. Wisdom finds it’s completeness in your conduct. When you are in relationship with Christ, there needs to be a reflection of the wisdom of God in and through your life. Just as faith without works is dead, [James 2:17] wisdom too needs to validated by your lifestyle. The steps of faith are hearing, understanding, leading to confession and ultimately conduct. And the steps of wisdom are given by knowing, understanding the truth, and then it’s application in life. A tree is known by it’s fruit, says the word of God.
Lord Jesus describes the wise man to be a person who builds his house, which in other words is his life, upon the rock. The book of proverbs, talks about the wise woman who builds up her house and proverbs Chapter 24 enunciates, all that is needed to build a house wisely. Therefore whoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him to be a wise man who built his house on the rock. [Matthew 7:24] The Lord’s words are abundantly clear. Hearing the word, in the Bible also includes an understanding of the truth. And then, the word becomes the seed, which when planted in the soil of your heart gives the power to appropriate it, and apply it in life. Practicing the word of God in daily life is not possible, is the view held by many. They consider it to be too idealistic to live up to, and not practical. But it is not so. For, the empowering comes from Him. And it is where wisdom comes into play.
Proverbs Chapter 8, describes the attributes of wisdom, in it’s own words I am understanding and I have power. [vs 14] Wisdom portrayed thus, enables you to see, that by understanding God’s word, you receive the power to appropriate it in your life. It was what happened in the life of a young virgin one day, when an ordinary day became extraordinary. Mary by understanding, also receives the power. How can this be, since I do not know a man ? [Luke 1:34] It was Mary’s bewildered question, both genuine and innocent. But the Angel Gabriel answered to reassure her, giving her understanding, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you…. For with God nothing shall be impossible’. [Luke 1:35,37]
And the emphatic truth broke through to her, that if God speaks a word – the word itself has the power to bring it to fulfillment. Therefore, when she understood the truth, Mary in rejoicing obedience was able to receive the promise, saying ‘Behold the maid servant of the Lord. Let it be unto me according to your word’. [Luke 1:38] The power to appropriate what God speaks to you through the scriptures comes with understanding the truth of His word. It happened in the lives of the Israelites as they stood weeping, listening to the words of the law being read to them. When they received an understanding of the truth of God’s word that Nehemiah spoke unto them, they were able to appropriate the power to be changed in their conduct. Then he said to them, Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet and send portions for those whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, for they understood the words that were declared to them. [Nehemiah 8:10,12] The joy of the Lord indeed became their strength, making them rejoice greatly.
And today, in one sense it illustrates the vital difference between the old and new testaments. The Israelites wept as they heard the law, for it exposed their inadequacy. But then the truth remains that the law is designed to make you realise that by self effort one can never keep the whole law. ‘Wretched man that I am’ is how the apostle Paul describes the struggle that goes on in his flesh in trying to do what is right. [Romans 7]
You need God’s power to do God’s will. And when the Lord’s strength becomes your strength, your sorrow will indeed turn to joy.
* What you do not have, He has.
* What you do not know, He knows.
* What you cannot do, He can do.
You belong to Him, and He belongs to you. All that He is and has belongs to you. Therefore, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. And the power to appropriate this strength comes when you understand that it is ‘Not I but the Lord’. In your life today, the big task that may lie ahead of you need not drive you to despair, for it is no longer about you. You are crucified with Christ, and now He lives in you. Therefore it is going to be His doing. And it is an understanding of this truth that gives you the power to appropriate it, and find success in your life’s endeavors. To ‘be still and know He is God’ is not being inactive, but rather being led by the Spirit of God. It is a ceasing of the striving of your own fleshly efforts and knowing who your God is. For those who know their God shall be strong and do great exploits, as the prophet Daniel declares.
‘I know whom I have believed,’ says the apostle Paul. And the Lord has declared that knowing the truth sets you free. You can now celebrate, knowing the truth of the Lord’s victory on the Cross; where Christ has defeated death, destroyed the one who has the power over death, who is the evil one, and overcome the grave. He is alive forevermore and is going victoriously ahead, leading you and I in a triumphal procession. And it is the understanding that Christ has done it all for you on the Cross and declared ‘It is finished’ that gives you the power to appropriate the victory in your life. You will have the power to succeed in life when you know that it is not in your own strength but God’s. It is the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit comes upon you giving you the empowerment to appropriate God’s truth in your life. And God works in and through you, making you a channel of His blessing. It is why the apostle Paul says, but by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace towards me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I but the grace of God that is with me. [1 Corinthians 15:10] This is the key when it comes to serving the Lord, your ministry. Paul says, It is He (Christ) whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. [Colossians 1:28] ‘Everyone’ perfect in Christ, Paul declares. So never give up on yourself, even if the whole world gives up on you. To this end I labour striving according to His working that works mightily in me. [vs 29] When it comes to serving God, it is not about how much, but whether you have what He has given you, and you are doing what He wants you to do. The strength to do it comes from Him. And contentment is about being satisfied with what you have been given, and not worrying about what you do not have. For when you need it, God will give it to you. When you acknowledge God and lean on His understanding you are plugged in to the source of all power. Therefore do not be led to discouragement as you wonder how you are going to face up to the seemingly tough tasks that lie ahead of you. It is God who works in and through you.
Remember it is God at work in you, to accomplish His will and good pleasure. [Philippians 2:13] There is a wonderful sign upon you that declares ‘God at work’. In your own strength you may find it difficult to sustain your efforts; but when you delight in God, He will birth in you divine desires, and His working in you will give you the determination to pursue it and the empowering to fulfill it. And you can do it all with a right attitude, without grumbling or complaining. Christ went to the Cross willingly, for the joy set before Him. He knew he was fulfilling the plan and purposes of God for all humanity the magnificent plan of redemption.
Luke elaborates a little further about the Lord’s parable describing the wise man who built on the right foundation – I will show you what someone is like, who comes to me, hears my words and acts on them.. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on the rock. [Luke 6:47,48] As you grow deeper in your understanding, it will lead you to a deeper devotion and to the truth that the foundation of rock is Christ Himself.
On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, says Jesus. [Matthew 16:18] The rock is the revelation knowledge of who He is Christ, the Son of God. When you are the person who receives the revelation knowledge of who He is, and with understanding act upon it, you will stand firm. The wind may be blowing against you, the flood waters may have come up to your neck, gone over your head even, bringing you to the brink of losing all hope. But, take heart, you will stand your ground. For you are standing on the revelation knowledge of who Christ is. He is your wisdom. He is your understanding. He is your sure foundation and You will not be shaken. He is holding you by your right hand, leading you to stand upon the rock. He puts a new song in your mouth and then you can declare that I can do all things through Christ and with Him all things are possible !
