Show Me Your Wisdom

We’re continuing in our walk through the Book of James — a powerful, practical letter written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to early believers… and to us.

The reason James’ letter hits so close to home is because he deals with things that never go away: trials, temptation, the tongue, humility, obedience… and today, wisdom.

Up to this point, James has been challenging us to live out our faith in a very tangible way.

The reality is that once you and I accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He changes us. That change begins on the inside — and as He starts transforming our spiritual heart, it begins to change the way we live. It changes the way people see us, and our lives begin to reflect Jesus, pointing others to Him.

Now, in verse 13, James shifts gears on us. After talking about a living faith, he now calls us to a living wisdom. In other words, just like faith, wisdom should show up in the way we live — not just in what we know.

Let’s read it together

James 3:13–18 ESV

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Now earlier in this chapter, James addressed those who wanted to be teachers — those who desired influence in God’s family.

Warning them that teachers carry a special responsibility: Then he talked about how powerful the tongue is — how one small word can set a forest on fire.

Now he shifts from the tongue to wisdom.

From what you speak… to how you live.

and the point he makes is this…

Wisdom is not something you can see on the outside of a person.

We are not born with a wisdom meter — though some folks might argue with that point. But let’s just be honest:

Wrinkles don’t equal wisdom.

Age, while it may help, doesn’t always guarantee wisdom.

And a diploma doesn’t prove wisdom.

We’ve all met that person who claims to be full of wisdom, but clearly, they are not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

So where does wisdom actually show up?

How do we know if someone is truly wise?

James says: Look at their life. Look at their conduct. Look at their humility.

Wisdom is not measured in talk — it’s measured in walk. Wisdom is not measured in opinions — but in obedience. Wisdom is not measured in arguments won — but in how we take what we learn and apply it to our lives.

That’s why James says, “Let him show it.” Show it by living a good life. Show it by humble actions. Show it by a meek and gentle spirit.

Sometimes people think the wise ones are the ones who “beat the system,” who bend the rules, who get their way no matter what.

But Scripture says that’s actually foolishness.

True wisdom — godly wisdom — always shows up in obedience, humility, and right living.

Just like an owner’s manual tells you how to get the most out of a vehicle, God’s Word tells us how to get the most out of life.

And every time we follow His design, every time we choose humility, every time we obey even when it’s hard, we are walking in the wisdom that comes from above.

Earthly Wisdom: What Tears Life Apart (vv. 14–16)

Now, after showing us what real, godly wisdom looks like, James turns the corner and shows us the opposite. Look with me at verse 14:

“But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.”

Here, James exposes dead wisdom — wisdom that isn’t wisdom at all.

Look with me at verse 14:

James 3:14 ESV

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

Here James exposes dead wisdom — wisdom that isn’t wisdom at all.

He says earthly wisdom is marked by a few very dangerous attitudes.

Bitter envy — that jealous spirit that looks at someone else’s blessings and quietly resents them.

Selfish ambition — that drive inside us that pushes for “my way,” even when it’s not God’s way.

Pride — an inflated view of ourselves that refuses correction, even when we’re wrong.

And a heart that puts self above others — which is the exact opposite of the servant-hearted life Jesus calls us to.

James warns us not to kid ourselves. Don’t boast, don’t justify it, and don’t pretend this kind of attitude is wise or spiritual — because it’s not.

And he doesn’t leave us guessing. In fact, look at how he describes this false wisdom in verse 15:

“This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.”

That’s strong language.

James isn’t playing around.

Because this kind of “wisdom” — this self-centered, jealous, prideful attitude — destroys lives.

Church - Earthly wisdom flows out of pride.

It comes from the flesh.

It is fueled by the world.

And sometimes — James dares to say it — it can even be influenced by the enemy himself.

and the results are devastating look at verse 16:

James 3:16 ESV

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

That’s the world we live in today?

Everywhere we look we see

Confusion.

Division.

Tension.

Broken families.

Angry conversations.

Divided Churches

That’s the fruit of earthly wisdom — a wisdom that says, “Me first… no matter what.”

Sure, earthly wisdom can accomplish some things temporarily. It can make money. It can win attention. It can gain popularity.

But in the end, its harvest is always the same: confusion and every evil thing.

James is not saying you can’t be popular, and he’s not saying you can’t have money. Those things are not sinful in themselves.

What he is saying is this: When you gain those things through earthly wisdom — through pride, selfishness, or manipulation — it will never produce the abundant life God desires for you.

Heavenly Wisdom: What Builds Life Up (vv. 17–18)

Now James turns the corner and shows us what real wisdom looks like — the kind that actually builds a life, a home, a marriage, and a church.

James 3:17–18 ESV

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Here James gives us eight qualities of godly wisdom — almost like a spiritual checklist for our hearts.

And as we walk through this list, I encourage you to do a heart check.

Where do these qualities show up in your life… and where do they need to grow?

Let’s walk through these eight marks of heavenly wisdom together — and as we do, I want to encourage you to quietly ask the Lord to search your heart.

1. Pure

James says wisdom from above is first pure.

Not just morally pure — but pure in motive.

Sincere

Clean-hearted

Trustworthy.

The kind of person who does the right thing even when no one’s watching.

Prayer: “Lord, are my motives pure?”

2. Peaceable

A wise person doesn’t stir up trouble.

They don’t fuel drama.

They bring calm into the room, not conflict.

In the Hebrew idea of shalom, this means more than the absence of fighting — it’s the presence of wholeness, goodness, and life.

Prayer: “Lord, am I a peacemaker… or a pot-stirrer?”

3. Gentle

William Barclay described this better than I can he describes it as “sweet reasonableness.”

It’s treating people the way you want to be treated — even when they don’t treat you that way first.

Prayer: “Lord, do people experience gentleness when they’re around me?”

4. Willing to Yield

This one hits home for me - because man am I Stubborn

but James says A wise person is not stubborn… not rigid… not impossible to get along with.

This doesn’t mean he compromises truth — No we have to stand on the Word of God - but it does mean being gracious in preferences and humble in attitude.

It means being willing to listen instead of needing to win.

Prayer: “Lord, am I teachable… or am I hard-hearted?”

5. Full of Mercy

A wise person is quick to forgive, quick to understand, quick to see people through the eyes of grace — because that’s how Jesus sees us.

Prayer: “Lord, do I extend the same mercy You’ve shown me?”

6. Full of Good Fruits

Wisdom isn’t just something we know — it produces something.

It produces

Compassion.

Kindness.

Righteous choices.

Good works that bless other people.

Prayer: “Lord, what fruit is growing from my life?”

7. Without Partiality

A wise heart doesn’t play favorites. It’s not prejudiced. It doesn’t treat people differently because of class, status, or background. It sees people the way God sees them — loved and made in His image.

Prayer: “Lord, do I see people the way You see them?”

8. Without Hypocrisy

Wisdom is real. Authentic. Not pretending. Not wearing masks. Not acting spiritual on Sunday and living however we want on Monday.

Prayer: “Lord, am I the same person in private that I am in public?”

James then wraps up this section with verse 18:

James 3:18 ESV

And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

In other words Heavenly wisdom….

Sows peace everywhere it goes.

A wise person brings peace into a room, peace into a conversation, peace into relationships, peace into conflict.

Earthly wisdom spreads chaos. Heavenly wisdom spreads righteousness and peace.

So Where Do We Get This Wisdom?

Here’s the honest truth:

When I measure my life beside those eight qualities… man, do I fall short.

And I think we all do.

But here’s the good news:

The One who lived every one of these qualities perfectly — Jesus Christ — now lives in us.

He is pure. He is peaceable. He is gentle. He is merciful. He is consistent. He is authentic. And He is the Prince of Peace.

So the more we abide in Christ, the more His wisdom is formed in us.

The more we lean on the Holy Spirit — our Helper who lives inside of us — to guide us and direct us, the more we begin to display godly wisdom.

We don’t produce heavenly wisdom by trying harder… we produce it by surrendering more fully.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:19, “Wisdom is justified by her children.” Meaning this: wisdom proves itself by the fruit of a godly life.

So James turns to us again and asks,

“Who is wise and understanding among you?”

Not the person with the loudest opinion. Not the person with the most knowledge. Not the person who wins every argument.

But the person whose life — day by day, moment by moment — reflects Jesus.

Closing / Invitation

Maybe as you’ve listened today, you’ve recognized some places in your life where earthly wisdom has been calling the shots.

Maybe it’s pride.

Maybe it’s jealousy.

Maybe it’s anger, stubbornness, tension, or self-seeking.

And today, God is calling you to lay that down… and to pick up heavenly wisdom — the wisdom that comes from Him alone.

James 1:5 gives us this incredible promise:

“If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all.”

You don’t have to earn that wisdom. You don’t have to deserve it. You don’t have to jump through spiritual hoops.

You simply have to ask for it… and surrender your heart to Christ.

So here’s the call to action today:

If you need God’s wisdom for a decision — come.

If you need peace in your home — come.

If you need to lay down pride or anger — come.

If you want a fresh start with God — come.

If you want the Holy Spirit to fill you and lead you — come.

And listen — if you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, if you’ve never placed your faith in Him, if you’ve never surrendered your life to the One who is wisdom — that is the very first step.

Jesus loves you. Jesus died for you. Jesus rose again for you. And He stands ready to forgive you, save you, and give you the abundant life He promised.

If you want to accept Christ today — come. If you want to rededicate your life — come. If you simply want someone to pray with you — come.

The altar is open.

God is here.

And heavenly wisdom is waiting for anyone who will ask