Becoming Wise! Series

Being Wise

James 3:13-18

July 9, 2023

A 1916 ad that said it was healthy to give Blatz beer to infants. The ad said

A case of Blatz beer in your home means much to the young mother and obviously baby participates in its benefits. The malt in the beer supplies nourishing qualities that are essential at this time and the hops act as an appetizing stimulating tonic.

This is an ad from 1885 advertising cocaine tooth drops for children. Really? You may not know this but cocaine wasn’t made illegal until 1914.

The next ad is from the late 1800’s and encourages people to manage their weight by eating sanitized tape worms. We have some in the lobby that have been sanitized and blessed!! How do you sanitize a tape worm without killing it?

The last is from the 1950’s and advertises a new kind of Ketchup bottle top. The ad says, “You mean a WOMAN can open it?!” In the small print it says, “Easily – without a knife blade, a bottle opener, or even a husband. All it takes is a dainty grasp.” Imagine that one today?

This was the wisdom of the day. We laugh at it today and I wonder in 100 years, what wisdom from today will be laughed at as well. Wisdom seems to shift and change. We change our minds all the time about wisdom. Yet, what is wisdom?

There’s a difference from the tone of these ads than from what we really need in life. And that’s the point of what we’re going to be getting into today.

These ads are about making life easier. None of us are against that. We would all like to find ways to make life easier. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

We’re drawn to ads. They tell us - - - use their product and we’ll be happier and healthier.

I didn’t say we want more KNOWLEDGE. Without striving after it, we still have more knowledge than we know what to do with. We’re the most knowledgeable people - - - and whether we want it or not, we gain more knowledge by the day.

BUT - - - - KNOWLEDGE is not the same and doesn’t equal WISDOM.

Knowledge is just information that can lead us from the SIMPLE to the COMPLEX. For example, I asked Zachary about jet engines, he gave me a 1 hour talk about how a jet engine works. In the end, I just wanted to know that my plane was going to take off and land. Knowledge can help us solve complex problems and at times make life more convenient.

BUT - - - - Wisdom is designed to be PRACTICAL - - - - and just as importantly, wisdom is timeless! Godly wisdom is eternal. It’s never ending.

Knowledge changes over time, but wisdom, God’s wisdom is eternal.

Wisdom should also lead us from the COMPLEX to the SIMPLE. We want wisdom that helps us with the complexities of life. Yet often times, we want the cliff notes version of wisdom. Just give me an app that will make life easier so I don’t have to think it through and so I don’t have to change.

James is the “ultimate-how-to manual” for the Christian life. It’s full of wisdom on various aspects of the Christian walk and James even includes wisdom — about wisdom! And that’s what we’re looking at today.

We all hunger to know how to DO life better — but the sad thing is most of us look for wisdom in the WRONG place. Instead of consulting God’s Word for guidance in life — we embrace the world’s way of thinking.

More and more of us live our lives according to our culture’s definition of wisdom. We tend to believe the wisest way to live is to pattern our decisions after the principles of this world ... principles as silly as the ones found in these old ads.

Well, the Christians in James’ day were making similar mistakes because in our text for this morning James addresses this issue by comparing the wisdom of the world to the wisdom of God. Let’s look at what James says - - - -

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.

14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.

15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.