Wisdom From Above
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good morning! Please keep your bibles open to James 3.
I love history and I love aviation! In the early 1900s, the race to build the first powered flying machine captivated the world.
On one side, there was Samuel Langley — a man with every advantage you could imagine. Langley had government funding, prestigious connections in Washington D.C., and the admiration of the press. His every move made headlines. He assembled a team of the brightest engineers money could buy, and he was certain his name would be the one remembered in history books.
Then, there were the Wright brothers — Orville and Wilbur. Two bicycle mechanics from Dayton, Ohio. They had no formal education in engineering, very little money, and hardly anyone paying attention to what they were doing. They worked in a dusty little shop, testing homemade gliders on the windy dunes of Kitty Hawk. And they were driven, not by a desire to become famous or prove they were the smartest men alive, but by a quiet fascination with solving the problem of human flight.
Langley, for all his resources, failed. When his machine crashed into the Potomac River, he didn’t regroup, didn’t ask what went wrong — he simply quit. It turned out his project had been fueled by selfish ambition: he wanted recognition more than progress. When he didn’t get it, he walked away.
But the Wright brothers kept going. They failed over and over again, but each time, they learned. They shared ideas, worked together, listened to local advice, and refined their design. And on December 17, 1903, on a cold, windy morning, their simple Flyer stayed in the air for 12 seconds — and changed the course of history forever. Interesting side-note, have you ever realized that humans landed on the moon only 66 years after we learned how to fly?
Looking back, historians often say the difference wasn’t intelligence, funding, or fame — it was motivation. Langley’s project was driven by pride and ambition. The Wright brothers’ pursuit was marked by humility, patience, and a genuine love for what they were doing.
That story is more than just a footnote in history; it’s a living illustration of what James is teaching us here in chapter 3.
James sets before us two kinds of wisdom — and the difference isn’t always visible at first glance. From the outside, both Langley and the Wright brothers were building airplanes. Both were creative, intelligent, and determined. But when we look deeper — at the heart, at the motivation — we see two radically different sources: one earthly, selfish, and ultimately destructive; the other humble, peaceable, and fruitful.
As we study this passage today, I want us to ask ourselves an uncomfortable question:
What really drives us?
Not just what we say on Sundays, but what sits quietly in our hearts:
Are we motivated by envy? Do we secretly measure ourselves against others, wishing for what they have?
Do we slip into selfish ambition — wanting to be seen, respected, or admired more than wanting to serve?
Or are we truly seeking the wisdom that comes from above — a wisdom that isn’t flashy or loud, but is full of purity, gentleness, mercy, and sincerity?
James doesn’t just give us a list of dos and don’ts. He gives us a mirror to look into — to see whether the source of our “wisdom” is from above or from below. And then he shows us what each one produces in our lives, our words, and our relationships.
This morning, as we walk through the text, we’ll look at three things together:
The Humility We Show (3:13),
The Spirit We Nurture (3:14-16)
The Peace We Produce (3:17-18)
My hope and prayer is that, by the end of this passage, we’ll not only understand the difference between the two kinds of wisdom — but that we’ll long to live in the kind of wisdom that reflects the heart of Christ himself.
The Humility We Show (3:13)
The Humility We Show (3:13)
Read with me, beginning in verse…
13 Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct he should show that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom.
As we’ve been working through James, we’ve just heard his strong words about the destructive power of the tongue. Now, he shifts to show what godly speech and living should look like: works done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom.
James doesn’t stop to convince us that wisdom is worth seeking—he assumes we know that. Back in chapter 1:5, he told us plainly:
5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.
For James, a life worthy of our calling must be a life marked by wisdom.
But how do we know if what we’re doing is truly wise? James says the evidence isn’t in our titles, degrees, or clever words—but in our conduct. Specifically, in the gentleness—or meekness—that comes from wisdom.
The Greek word he uses here is πραυτης, and it is often translated as gentleness, meekness or humility. It is the same word that Jesus uses in
5 Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth.
This humility isn’t weakness. It’s strength under control: patient, teachable, and not self-assertive. It recognizes our need for God and others, and it endures with grace rather than reacting with pride or aggression.
Jesus said “Blessed be the humble…” In the beatitudes, “Blessed” meant to have God’s full approval. Jesus and James shared the thought that humility, gentleness and meekness are all things that believers should strive to exhibit in spades.
In the context of James specifically, he is setting the stage to speak out against a spirit of pride, haughtiness and exaltation of self. For James, this is no small point. Earlier, in 3:1, he warned that not many should become teachers, because our words matter and words are hard to control. Now, he adds that wisdom itself—the very substance of what teachers are supposed to impart—is proven by how we live. As a pastor, my right to teach and preach from the pulpit is validated or invalidated by my conduct at home.
Some say the church shouldn’t talk about people’s conduct—that it’s judgmental to call sin what it is. But scripture calls us to discernment: to recognize and name sin, not to condemn, but to keep Christ’s church holy and faithful.
There has been no-little-stir in the national conversation about a CEO and the head of the same company’s HR Department caught having an affair on the jumbo-tron at a Coldplay concert this week. Their reflex to hide from the camera - which only made things significantly worse by drawing so much attention to themselves, but also showed they knew it was wrong. That’s a failure of conduct—and a failure of wisdom.
James says that our conduct that we should show that what we do comes from the wisdom from God. It serves as a great and timely reminder that His ways are not our ways and that His wisdom might not always appear as wise to the world. As such, we will meet ridicule and hate from the world because we are to align ourselves with the wisdom of God and deny the wisdom of man. God’s wisdom says: don’t have an affair. The world’s wisdom says: don’t get caught. James calls us to align ourselves with God’s wisdom, even when it means standing against the flow of culture.
When we speak and act with this humble, gentle wisdom, we show the reality of our faith—not just to ourselves, but to the world around us. And now, James will contrast this with what happens when our hearts are ruled by worldly wisdom instead.
The Spirit We Nurture (3:14-16)
The Spirit We Nurture (3:14-16)
Read with me, starting in verse…
14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and deny the truth.
15 Such wisdom does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice.
James now shifts gears. Having described true wisdom from above—marked by gentleness and humility—he now exposes a counterfeit wisdom: a so-called “wisdom” that is destructive, divisive, and opposed to God. Notice how he begins this section with “But,” signaling contrast. James is warning his readers: there is a wisdom that sounds clever, seems effective, and often appears justified, yet it springs from the wrong heart and leads to ruin.
In today’s writing, we might put quotation marks around “wisdom” in verse 15 to show James’ irony. This “wisdom” isn’t real wisdom at all. Instead, it’s earthly (limited to human perspective), unspiritual (driven by the flesh), and demonic (reflecting the enemy’s agenda rather than God’s). What are its fruits? Bitter envy and selfish ambition. This is the opposite of what Paul urged in:
14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and deny the truth.
Paul, like James, ties our conduct directly to what’s going on in the heart. If our hearts are infected with envy and selfish ambition, James says, “don’t boast and deny the truth.” In other words: don’t pretend your motives are pure. Don’t act as if you’re serving God or the church when you’re really serving yourself.
This is reminiscent of what Solomon wrote in
30 No wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel will prevail against the Lord.
It doesn’t matter what system of wisdom it is - if it is not the Lord’s, it will be inferior in every way. James’ warning is especially pointed because he’s still within the same discourse that started in chapter 3 verse 1, about why many shouldn’t become teachers. Teaching, at its core, is meant to build up others in truth. But if our teaching is secretly driven by jealousy or desire for recognition, then even if the words and theology are correct, our hearts stand against the truth.
Notice also how James isn’t vague about where this counterfeit wisdom comes from:
Earthly – born out of human pride and worldly priorities.
Unspiritual – driven by the desires of the flesh.
Demonic – aligned with the same spirit of pride and rebellion that opposes God.
Where does this lead? “Disorder and every evil practice.” Instead of building up, it tears down. Instead of producing peace, it stirs division.
These things will be born out in our conduct as, like he says in verse 13, that by his good conduct he should show that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom.
Let’s bring this closer to home. What do the fruits of envy look like? Has anyone seen the new Superman movie? (I won’t spoil it.) There’s a moment where it’s suggested that envy can drive people to shocking extremes. It’s a reminder that jealousy doesn’t just stay hidden; it leaks out into our words and actions.
I remember a time when I worked at a music store and helped a friend get hired. He was a likable guy—great sense of humor, amazing musician—but not the most technically skilled. After nearly two years of hard work, I was up for a promotion. Instead, they gave it to him because of his charisma. Honestly, it stung. I felt jealousy well up in me, and it showed. Instead of congratulating him, I distanced myself, grew resentful, and let it shape how I treated him. It was ugly. Looking back, God used that experience to expose just how “me-centered” my heart was.
James helps us see that these heart-level sins don’t stay hidden. Our conduct reveals what’s truly inside:
Gentleness shows humility and submission.
Harshness, hostility, and resentment show selfish ambition and envy.
So let me ask: can you think of a time when you struggled with envy or selfish ambition? Maybe it’s not just in the past—maybe it’s present. Are we tempted to speak harshly or react defensively when things don’t go the way we planned? Do our tongues run ahead, dragging our conduct through the mud?
James is clear: the fruits of godly wisdom are seen in humble, gentle conduct. The fruits of earthly “wisdom” are selfish ambition, envy, and ultimately disorder. In contrast, Solomon says this:
33 The fear of the Lord is what wisdom teaches, and humility comes before honor.
As we continue, James will paint an even clearer picture of what the wisdom from above looks like in practice…
The Peace We Produce (3:17-18)
The Peace We Produce (3:17-18)
Let’s pick back up in verse…
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.
Notice again the contrast James draws. After describing the chaos produced by earthly, unspiritual, and demonic “wisdom,” James now paints a picture of what true wisdom — wisdom from above — looks like when it takes root in the heart and bears fruit in the life of a believer.
Look carefully at the list:
Pure – first and foremost, genuine and undivided, rooted in sincere devotion to God.
Peace-loving – not stirring up division, but longing for harmony.
Gentle – considerate, not harsh or forceful.
Compliant – willing to yield, approachable, not stubborn or defensive.
Full of mercy and good fruits – overflowing with compassion that leads to action.
Unwavering – consistent, stable, not swayed by selfish motives.
Without pretense – sincere, free of hypocrisy.
In contrast to the destructive fruit of envy and selfish ambition, wisdom from above produces a life that is marked by peace, humility, and genuine goodness. And as James wraps this section up, he says something both simple and profound:
“And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.”
In other words, people who are genuinely wise — whose hearts are shaped by God’s truth — don’t just keep the peace; they plant it. They live in such a way that peace becomes the soil in which righteousness can flourish, both in their own lives and in the lives of others.
Consider Jesus’ words again from the Beatitudes:
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Let’s slow down and think about what that means practically. This isn’t passive peace — just avoiding conflict. This is an active, intentional peace:
Choosing to answer gently rather than react harshly.
Being willing to listen rather than always needing to speak.
Choosing mercy over judgment, even when we feel justified in our frustration.
Checking our motives: “Am I speaking and acting to build up, or to prove myself?”
James ties it all the way back to verse 13: true wisdom isn’t proven by words alone, but by a life that consistently shows these fruits. Conduct that is gentle and peaceable shows that our hearts are submitted to God, not driven by self.
Let me ask: what kind of “wisdom” do we see at work in our own hearts? Is it a wisdom that quietly seeks to elevate us, or one that reflects the character of Christ?
When I read this list, I’m convicted. Because if we’re honest, we know how easy it is to slip into stubbornness, harshness, or hypocrisy — all the things that James says wisdom from above isn’t. But the good news is that God offers us this wisdom. It’s not something we manufacture by willpower; it’s something that comes down from above when we humbly ask Him.
If we refer again back to
5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.
God is eager to give us this kind of wisdom: pure, peace-loving, gentle, full of mercy and good fruits. And when it takes root, it produces a harvest of righteousness — a life that quietly points people to Christ, not to ourselves. Everything we do should point to Christ.
It’s not unlike what was expressed when Nikolaus von Zinzendorf, credited with being the father of modern missions said this:
Preach the gospel, die, and be forgotten.
Nikolaus von Zinzendorf
Conclusion
Conclusion
Christ embodies the ultimate wisdom of God. Through His life and sacrificial love, He demonstrated perfect purity, peace, and righteousness. His teachings call us to pursue godly wisdom rather than worldly wisdom.
7 Wisdom is supreme—so get wisdom. And whatever else you get, get understanding.
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.
9 She will place a garland of favor on your head; she will give you a crown of beauty.”
Whether we’re preaching the Word, working on a farm, turning wrenches in a mechanic’s shop, or anywhere else God places us, we are all called to embody the wisdom that is from above. That requires meekness — a humble posture that seeks to serve, not to be seen; that acts out of selflessness rather than selfish ambition.
James makes the contrast crystal clear: there is wisdom from above and wisdom from the earth. His aim isn’t just to describe them, but to urge us to reflect Jesus to the world around us — to pursue holiness because our Lord is holy.
If you look closely, you can see Jesus in this text. His gentleness and desire to serve are the very model James holds up. For some of us, thinking of Jesus this way — the meek, humble servant who sought nothing for Himself and desired holiness for His followers — is a familiar reminder of the Savior we know and love. For others, it might be a new way to see Him.
But Christ truly is the ultimate embodiment of God’s wisdom. His life overflowed with purity, peace, and righteousness that showed in His actions:
He healed the sick, undeterred by the Pharisees’ judgment for doing so on the Sabbath.
He wept at Lazarus’s tomb, then raised him from the dead in compassion.
And in the greatest act of love, He humbled Himself to death on a Roman cross, bearing the wrath of God against our sin — so that by grace through faith, His righteousness could be counted as ours, and our guilt could be placed on Him.
Imagine for a moment writing out the two lists James gives us:
On one side: bitter envy, selfish ambition, earthly, unspiritual, demonic, disorder, and every evil practice.
On the other: purity, peace-loving, gentleness, meekness, willingness to yield, mercy, sincerity.
Which kind of people would you rather be around? I think we’d all choose the second list — those whose lives show wisdom from above. And here’s the challenge: if we long to be around those kinds of people, we should also strive to be those kinds of people.
It’s a bit like the advice we give young people: instead of only focusing on what kind of spouse you want to marry someday, focus on becoming the kind of spouse someone would want to marry. Likewise, we should desire to treat others as we’d want to be treated — living out the character of Christ in our everyday conduct.
As believers in Jesus, we should naturally want to walk in His wisdom. Because living by earthly wisdom — driven by envy and selfish ambition — contradicts what Scripture says about who we are now:
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!
So, church, seek the wisdom that is from above. Act accordingly. Be gentle. Love peace. Be a source of life to those around you.
Don’t let envy or selfish ambition drive you — let Christ be your motivation.
Trust in Him, and He will direct your paths.
