SHOW AND TELL
James 3:13-18
I remember what I loved best when I was in elementary school; show and tell. We usually had that at the beginning of the day and anyone in the class could come up front to show something or to tell something. I always loved show and tell because I always had something. I would bring something in like an airplane (they didn’t have 777’s then!) or tell about an experience, like a movie I saw, a visit to the dentist, something I did with my friends. I loved show and tell! Do they do that here in Japan? Once I was in junior high school, show and tell was a thing of the past.
A few weeks ago I shared a message on being doers of God’s word, and not just hearers. I shared how the Bible churches are wonderful at giving information, but it needs to be more than just that. People need to hear God’s word but also be obedient to it. And I shared how a service at a Bible church is always centered around the teaching of the word. There might be a hymn or two, a prayer, and a 50 minute message. Then we pray, sing a hymn and go home. What I didn’t tell you is at Denton Bible Church we also had a sharing service. We took a break after the teaching service and came back for the sharing service. We would have prayer, sing and then anyone in the church could get up and share something. They might share something they had been reading in the Bible the past week. Or they might share and answer to prayer or something God has done in their lives. It could also be a time when someone could ask for prayer. Usually when they did that, someone would pray for them right then and there. This is all based on the concept of body life. Instead of just one pastor ruling the church with an iron hand, the whole church would have a say in a matter.
I enjoyed both the teaching service and the sharing service. Because we were taught God’s word at DBC. Remember the pastor was a Dallas Seminary grad. And he knew the Bible. I guess I liked the sharing service because I always had something to share. For example I once shared about being found guilty for a traffic violation by a judge who told me later he was Jewish. He didn’t like it when I told him I believed in Jesus. I also shared about getting to watch open heart surgery and sharing with the surgeons while they were operating.
There’s an example of show and tell we often overlook. Because it comes down to who you are. And who you are is seen in the way you do show and tell. Can you tell if someone is truly a Christian or not? Come to show and tell. Listen to his or her words and conduct and that will give you an example. James has been talking about use of the tongue; something that is very convicting for us all, especially me because I’m the one giving this message. He gave warnings to those wanting to be teachers because there were many wanting to be teachers. The problem was control of the tongue; something only one person could do. The tongue is a small part of the body, but the most destructive. It can do irreparable damage. Because once you’ve said something, you can’t take it back. And I really believe that what we say is an indication of what is really in our heart. So if you’re married and in a fit of anger say to your husband or wife, “I wish I never married you. That is the biggest mistake I ever made,” be careful. You might have said it in anger, but you might just have expressed what was really in your heart. So be careful. I’m having to work on this myself, but James exhortation we looked at several weeks ago is so important.
James 1:19 ¶ My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
James 1:20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
This chapter might be addressed to teachers but it applies to all of us. Because if you want to be mature it applies for you. If you don’t want to be mature, gomennasai, I’m going to give this message anyway.
I’m sure last week’s message on the tongue might have left you feeling a little gloomy, because James talks about the problem of the tongue but really doesn’t give any advice on overcoming this problem. Let me quote from one of my seminary professors that there are no instant shortcuts to spiritual maturity, or to controlling your tongue, but here are some helps along the way. It comes down to living a life of wisdom. But not just any kind of wisdom as we shall see. It is the wisdom coming from God. Can we know what it looks like? And can we know what it doesn’t look like? Good news, we can because James will describe both.
Let’s start with show and tell. If you are truly wise, show it. Look at verse 13.
James 3:13 ¶ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
Are you wise and understanding? Then show it. Show it by the kind of life you live and in what you do. We often hear about meekness. This translation uses the word “humility.” What is meekness? Meekness is being gentle, not harsh. When you are meek, you do not demand your own rights. A lot of my customers at AA were not meek! They would often be very demanding. They weren’t thinking of AA, they were thinking of themselves. And often I would hear that they are loyal customers of AA so we should give them what they want. Meekness is the opposite of this. When we are meek we are polite to others. We think of them before we think of ourselves.
Let me give you a couple examples of meekness.
Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
It starts with Jesus. He was meek.
Let me give you an example of what happens when you are not meek.
Numbers 12:1 ¶ Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite.
Numbers 12:2 "Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?" they asked. "Hasn’t he also spoken through us?" And the LORD heard this.
Numbers 12:3 (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)
Numbers 12:4 At once the LORD said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, "Come out to the Tent of Meeting, all three of you." So the three of them came out.
I’ll stop there, but tell you that Moses exercised meekness, Miriam and Aaron did not. Want to know what happened to them?
Numbers 12:10 When the cloud lifted from above the Tent, there stood Miriam-- leprous, like snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had leprosy;
If you had leprosy, you were considered unclean, and had to stay outside the camp until your leprosy healed and was gone. But Moses was a humble man. Only bad thing is later he didn’t exercise meekness and it resulted in him not going into the Promised Land. I’m not saying that if you aren’t meek you will get leprosy. But do you get the picture?
You see, this is a result of having wisdom that comes from God. And so if you claim to be wise, does your life show this kind of wisdom? That is the first point.
Because if it doesn’t show these, I can tell you that you are not living according to God’s wisdom, but the wisdom from the world? Why can I tell you this? Because it is totally the opposite of what we have just seen. Look at the next 3 verses and we will see what worldly wisdom looks like.
James 3:14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
True wisdom is not so concerned about getting your rights. No, it is more concerned for others. Now let me say this. Everyone, including yours truly has been guilty of this at one time or another. But if this is something that others can say about you, it is not something you want to brag about because you are denying the truth. Someone else wrote that true wisdom is not looking out for personal gain. There is nothing to brag about or to glory about.
The reason this is nothing to glory about is because this does not come from God. Where does it come from? James gives us 3 sources. Look at verse 15.
James 3:15 Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.
It is completely opposite of what comes from God. It excludes the spiritual influence of the Holy Spirit and is demon like in it’s deception, hypocrisy and evil. We are looking at an earthly life, lived according to the world’s standard’s not from God. My father was a very smart man. I found it difficult relating to him after becoming a Christian because he often gave me advice that was contrary to God’s ways. He would often say, “That’s the way the world is.” Well that may be the way the world is but it’s not God’s way. Hopefully you will be able to see the difference between the world’s wisdom and God’s wisdom and act according to God’s wisdom. And remember, as we saw in chapter 1 it is always available when we ask for it. Remember these verses?
James 1:5 ¶ If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
If you’re in a trial and you need wisdom, ask God and He will be happy to give it to you, and best of all He won’t look down on you for asking Him. But remember to believe it and not doubt when He gives it to you. Because do you remember what He said about doubting?
James 1:6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
James 1:7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;
James 1:8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
You are like that wave of the sea being blown and tossed by the wind. You won’t receive anything from God and you are double minded, unstable. Do you want to be this kind of person? Or do you want to be the person who is wise in God’s eyes?
Some 20 years ago I was teaching a Bible study on this passage and I talked about doubting. I said that if anyone can tell me they have never doubted, I would buy them a steak dinner. It was quiet for a minute. Then one man said, “Michael, I’ve never doubted.” I didn’t buy him a steak dinner.
Let me give you a few references on the kind of wisdom James is talking about in verse 15.
1 Corinthians 2:14 ¶ The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
This is one who has not been touched by God’s spirit. He is not a Christian. And if you try to tell such a person about spiritual things, they will think it is foolish. Don’t believe me? How many of you have this kind of a problem when you try to talk to your unsaved family members about Jesus?
1 Corinthians 15:44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:45 So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.
1 Corinthians 15:46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.
Paul is talking about the resurrection body, the kind of body that will enter God’s kingdom. Because a natural body will not enter the kingdom.
Jude 1:19 These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
Jude is talking about false teachers; those who do not have the Holy Spirit. They are not Christians? Do you know why they are not Christians?
Romans 8:9 ¶ You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
Paul is contrasting life in the Spirit with the fleshly life, apart from the Spirit. The person who does not believe in Jesus does not have the Holy Spirit in him or her. So he or she cannot live by the Spirit even if they want to and try. How do you have the Spirit of Christ? You need to believe in Him first. Then as you yield yourself to the Spirit’s control, your life will be more and more a life of wisdom.
Let’s take a further look at what this wisdom looks like; the wisdom not from God. Let me also say that all eyes will be on Barack Obama when he becomes our President in January. I think the whole world will be watching him. Because his job will not be an easy one. I think everyone’s biggest concern is the economy. Can President Obama get the economy going again? I’ve read that he already has a team that is going to work on the economy and will be ready the day they take office. I hope so. My sister and I were talking and she was telling me how brilliant Barack Obama is. He has a doctorate in law and she said he was president of the Harvard Law Society. He is the only black man who has been president of that organization. I have no questions about his intelligence. But my question is he using God’s wisdom or human wisdom apart from God? I get weekly updates from a website that prays for the President and all those in authority. It was started after the 11 September terrorist attacks. And I am praying that our new President will govern and lead, not by his own earthly wisdom but he will seek God’s wisdom. Because that will be the only way to bring about change for the good. Here’s the website I’m talking about, www.presidentialprayerteam.org. Check it out.
James says this wisdom is earthly, unspirtual and from the devil. I like the way my pastor back home would put it. He would say, “it is straight from the pits of hell.” Do you want your life to be characterized by this kind of wisdom? Because if you do, here’s what it will look like. Let me tell you it is not pretty. James spares no effort to tell it like it is. But remember, if you want to be mature, you need to listen and do these things. If you want your life to be characterized as a life of wisdom, then you need to live by God’s wisdom. And if you don’t want your life to be like this, gomennasai, I’m not going to change this message. Let’s look at verse 16.
James 3:16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
I told you it wasn’t pretty. It is all self centered. It is not concerned for others. There is nothing wrong with being ambitious. But we are talking about selfish ambition here; that which only looks out for yourself. I’m thinking of several expressions I’ve heard in my country, like “Look out for #1,” “You only go around once, so grab all the gusto you can,” “Assert yourself,” and I can probably think of more. But they are all rooted in being self centered. True wisdom is not self centered, it is other centered.
But if you want to live by this kind of wisdom, there will be 2 results. The first one is disorder. I will go ahead and tell you, I’m not the neatest person in the world. But I still like to have some order. I like to put things in certain places where I know I can find them. There is nothing that frustrates me more than when I can’t find something. I sometimes wonder if it actually got up and walked off on it’s own. But I know better than that. I always remind myself it’s right where I left it.
When I was in seminary one of my classes required that each student made their own filing system. I still have it. I don’t always use it, but most of the time I know where to look for something. For example I have a file for every book of the Bible. In this case I am doing James. So I get my folder on James and look through it to see if there is anything that can help me with my message on James. I think before I move out of here in March, I want to put more things in my files so they’ll be easy to find in my new place.
No one likes to be around a disorderly person or place. I remember a temporary job I had several years ago. I liked my manager; she was very nice. But I also remember her being very disorganized.
When there is disorder and evil it is not of God. One of my favorite movies is Titanic. I bought the VHS as soon as it came out, and 3 years ago there was the deluxe edition with a lot of extra features. If you remember the scenes when the ship was sinking and people were trying to get up topside and get into a lifeboat, you remember there was anything but order. It was all very disorderly. This might be an extreme, but this is what disorder can look like. Because I can assure you everyone was thinking of himself or herself.
1 Corinthians 14:33 ¶ For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints,
Paul is talking about order in worship in the use of spiritual gifts. Disorder is the opposite of peace. If you’re thinking what I’m thinking, this wisdom that James is describing is not pretty at all. I don’t want my life to be characterized by it. How about you? Because it also involves every evil thing; that which comes from below, and not of God. You remember that these are extreme opposites. Your life will be characterized by one or the other. There is no in between.
If we are living by God’s wisdom, what does it look like? James tells us that also and I like it much better than the kind of wisdom we have just been looking at.
James 3:17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
James gives us several characteristics of this kind of wisdom. He’s going to tell us what it really looks like. First, as someone said, it starts with Jesus Christ crucified. Do you believe in Him? If not, all the wisdom in the world isn’t going to help you. Remember, James is not writing a book on how to become a Chrisitian, he is writing a book on how to be a mature Christian. Here’s what the wisdom he is talking about looks like. First, he says it is pure. You know what that means? It is free from any kind of defilement. Often this is thought of something we use in a ceremony but it also includes what is in our own lives. Have any of you ever heard of Ivory Soap? It came out in 1879. It claimed to be 99.44% pure; more pure than soap made of vegetable oil. “So pure, it floats,” was it’s motto. And it was white. We often associate white with purity.
God’s wisdom is pure. Next it is peace loving. Other translations describe it as peaceable or willing to yield. You are willing to lay aside your preferences for the good of someone else.
It is considerate. It is very similar to peace loving in that you are willing to put your own personal preferences aside for the good of someone else. When you are considerate of someone you won’t just think of your own self interests. You will think of the other person’s self interests before your own.
It is submissive. Other translations say it is obedient and compliant. You see in the body of Christ, submission is essential if we are to function in harmony. Don’t believe me? Listen to what Paul said about it in Ephesians.
Ephesians 5:21 ¶ Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
He does use a different Greek word, but it still involves what James is talking about I believe.
This wisdom is full of mercy. We’ve already talked a lot about mercy, but it is what you want instead of justice. Did you ever get sent to the principal’s office when you were in school? Don’t lie to me, I got sent to the principal’s office many times. You know you did something wrong. And you know you are going to be punished for it. But deep inside, aren’t you hoping the principal will be merciful and not punish you? It’s OK, I certainly prayed for mercy. And I wasn’t even a Christian then! But God’s wisdom is merciful. The difference between justice and mercy is with justice you get what you deserve, with mercy you get what you don’t deserve. It’s like God’s justice with us. We deserve judgment for our sins. But because of His mercy in sending Jesus Christ to die for our sin, and if we believe in Him, we get God’s mercy, something we don’t deserve.
And it bears fruit. We saw this in John’s gospel, when Jesus told His disciples that He is the Vine and they are the branches. The only way they can bear fruit is by abiding in Him. The one who abides in Him has his or her prayers answered and bears much fruit. Remember what Jesus said to His disciples in His Upper Room Discourse?
John 15:7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
John 15:8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Better yet, your prayers get answered. Wouldn’t you like to see your prayers answered?
It is impartial. Remember what we learned about impartiality a few weeks ago? We talked about favoring the rich over the poor. When we do that we make ourselves to judge others with bad motives. And we violate the 2nd greatest commandment to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
Let’s go back to Titanic. If you know the story of Titanic, most of the 1500 who died were 3rd class passengers, not 1st or 2nd class passengers. Most of you know of my flying 1st class when I fly to the states and I usually get very good treatment. But I think we see in general, that the richer you are, the more you pay, the better treatment you get. That’s not the kind of treatment we need to give others in the church. Wisdom that comes from above is not partial. It is not only in regard to rich or poor, it is impartial in all ways. Other translations say it is without favoritism. It doesn’t play favorites. I don’t like it when someone plays favorites unless I’m favored. It’s when I’m not favored I don’t like.
There’s a lot more I can say about being impartial but I won’t because it is beyond the scope of this message. Let me just say that wisdom from above is not partial. And remember as we saw earlier, it is available to all who ask for it.
And it is sincere. Other translations say it is without hypocrisy or it is genuine. I’ll even give my translation, it is the real thing; it’s not a counterfeit. I have a Rolex watch. It is a genuine Rolex watch. I have had it appraised and serviced by an authorized Rolex shop in Dallas. Because there are many places you can get a fake Rolex.
This wisdom James is talking about is not fake. It is genuine. It is all these things James has used to describe it. Do our lives show it? How can we tell if they do? He answers that in verse 18.
James 3:18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
Sow in peace, reap in peace and righteousness. For the one teaching God’s word, when you teach it peacefully it produces righteousness. As someone wrote when you sow in righteousness in a climate of peace it results in righteousness. Words that antagonize and inflame others in a spirit of bitterness and self seeking only do the opposite.
I’ve always believed that trying to solve problems without God’s wisdom is futile. I don’t care how brilliant you are, it will never compare with God’s wisdom. Because we live in a fallen world which is Satan’s domain.
Several years ago AA came very close to being shut down by a pilot’s strike. Very simply the pilot’s union and AA management could not come to an agreement over several issues relating to the pilot’s contract. I won’t go into all the ins and outs of how the process works, but we were getting very close to the deadline in which the pilots would go on strike if they did not get their demands met. Negotiators were working all hours of the day trying to get an agreement. And there was a group of many pilots meeting every day to pray for AA, management, the union and the contract negotiations going on. I joined that group. And we asked God to give those involved wisdom in the decision making process. To make a long story short, the pilots did go on strike but it only lasted 7 minutes because President Clinton signed an emergency order which ordered the pilots back to work and appointed a 3 member panel to study the issue and make their recommendations.
I just read last week that the pilots are in the negotiating process again for a new contract and the pilots union walked out of negotiations. Time to pray again.
Friends if you want to grow and be mature as Christians, you need wisdom. This kind of wisdom is not the wisdom the world has to offer but that which God has to offer. I personally like it a lot better than the world’s wisdom. Because when I start to think along the world’s lines, it results in what James said; disorder and every evil thing. And it is not peaceable. When I try to think the way God wants me to think there is always peace. God’s ways are completely contrary to the world’s ways. But they result in peace and harmony. I personally like that a lot better. And you know what? Others will see it. They will see it especially in your speech and in your conduct. It will be seen in your relationships with others. There won’t be any strife or controversy. Not that we will always agree but if we disagree we will do it in wisdom.
Does your life have this kind of wisdom? It starts with being right with God. The Psalmist put it very well when he said,
Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
The book of Proverbs speaks much about wisdom. There are 47 references to it. Spend some time in Proverbs; it is a gold mine of wisdom. I don’t know if any of you have ever done this, but I remember a friend told me this when I was a new Christian. Each day read 1 chapter of Proverbs; the one corresponding to that day. For example if today is 14 December, read all Proverbs 14. It’s been a long time since I did that but I remember as a new Christian reading Psalms and Proverbs every day. Maybe I need to go back and do it again.
Wisdom from God is always available to us. It is available in trials. We have also seen today that living a life of wisdom is much better than living the way of the world. Let’s be those whose lives show wisdom as seen in our speech and conduct. The end products will be righteousness and peace. Let’s pray.
