Who among you is wise and understanding?

James 2:18-3 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” ¹⁹ You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. ²⁰ But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? ²² You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; ²³ and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. ²⁴ You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. ²⁵ In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? ²⁶ For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

3 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. ² For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. ³ Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. ⁴ Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. ⁵ So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.

See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. ⁷ For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. ⁸ But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; ¹⁰ from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. ¹¹ Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.

¹³ Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. ¹⁵ This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. ¹⁶ For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. ¹⁸ And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

In today’s text it says:  Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.  This is more than just a Christian principle. The same truth that the writer warns of is true of those who are teachers in every aspect of our society today. Being a teacher is a great responsibility. Forming and affecting the thoughts, opinions and the actions of other people puts teachers in a position to incur stricter judgment, if they do it with wrong motives or if they teach what is not truth. Many teachers today will be judged for the things they teach. Additionally many who are not teachers, but rather are celebrities, entertainers, athletes or members of the media, will also incur the same strict judgment, because they speak as authorities on subjects they know little of. They use their platform to proclaim and promote their personal beliefs and agendas, without regard for the truth.  It is not my place or the place of any person or group of people to be the ones who judge others. In Isaiah 5:20 God says:  Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!   God will judge those who call evil good and darkness light. In Matthew 5:19-20 Jesus says:  Whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Those who teach others to relax the commandments of God will be judged.

The text asks:  Who among you is wise and understanding?  Surely there are many who think themselves wise; many who have accumulated human knowledge and understanding. They love to debate with and demean others, quoting the information they know.  The text says:  Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.  And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.   Many accuse Christians of hypocrisy because they do not embrace human understanding and the ways and the opinions of society. In truth though, knowing what God says, it is hypocrisy to embrace what is impure and unrighteousness. The challenge for those who believe and follow God; for those who know and declare His truth, is to sow the seeds of truth in peace, gently, mercifully yet without wavering. Romans 12:18 says:  If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.  In Luke 6:28 Jesus says:  Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.   The text says:  No one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.   We need to bless people who are made in the likeness of God. We need to speak words of life and redemption, not curses and condemnation, but we need to do it without wavering; without hypocrisy, declaring the truth and the wisdom from above which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit; may Your word and Your truth be deeply rooted in me. May I sow good fruit from the good seed You have implanted in me. May my words be a blessing and not a curse. May they be fresh and living water to those who hear and read. May I speak peacefully, gently, reasonably, full of mercy; yet without hypocrisy; without wavering from Your truth.   Amen.