The Attributes of Wisdom

​“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.”

‭‭James‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.3.13.NASB1995

Here in James, I see wisdom having a bunch of attributes.

The first attribute is gentleness. 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/gal.5.23.NASB1995

Gentleness is love and wisdom under control. We can let gentleness get out of control then it becomes arrogance.

“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.”

‭‭James‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.3.14-15.NASB1995

Next, I see that wisdom can be earthly, natural, and demonic. This tells me that the world and its ruler has wisdom to offer but it is the wrong wisdom. This wisdom seems to improve myself by any means possible. Look to Lot’s daughters. They saw that they were stuck in a cave with their dad and both choose to get pregnant by him. However Godly wisdom may have let them wait for a short period to leave the cave and find natural husbands. See Genesis 19:30-38 for the whole story.

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.”

‭‭James‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.3.17.NASB1995

The wisdom that is from above is now pure. That is to say holy. Holy wisdom has no alternative motive behind its actions. But only that is best for both parties. 

Next, wisdom is peaceable. That can make peace between two warring parties. 

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭9‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/mat.5.9.NASB1995

“Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭31‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/luk.6.31.NASB1995

The peaceable wisdom knows that the way we treat the people around us affects us.

Wisdom is gentile, again! See above.

Wisdom is reasonable. Wisdom makes us ask others what is reachable. If your job can only produce 10 units per day. Then wisdom will not expect 15 per day. Are our goals set with reasonable wisdom? Joseph had to have reasonable wisdom to know how much to save back while not starving the people of Egypt. For he could have taken everything and the people would starve during the years of plenty. See Genesis 41 and 42 for the reasonable wisdom displayed by Joseph.

Wisdom is full of mercy and good fruits. The good fruits are as follows: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If your wisdom is not making these fruits then it will be making: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these,

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭19‬-‭23

Merciful wisdom goes back to gentle wisdom.

Wisdom is unwavering. The wisdom that is made up for God. 

“But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.1.8.NASB1995

Wisdom is without hypocrisy. That is to say, a wise man is the same in public and at home among his family. Greg Laurie speaks that way of Billy Graham. Greg knew Billy in the crusades and at home but he was always the same. Do you speak to others around you as you would when they are not around? If so you are on the right track. If not then Hypocrisy might be creeping into your behavior. Which is not wise!

“You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭11‬:‭18‬-‭20‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/deu.11.20.NASB1995

Let us talk with wisdom at the dinner table, in the car, and in the public market!

Wisdom has many attributes which ones are you strongest in? Which ones are you weakest in?

“How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding. For her profit is better than the profit of silver And her gain better than fine gold. She is more precious than jewels; And nothing you desire compares with her. Long life is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways And all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬-‭18‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/pro.3.16-18.NASB1995

In the hands of wisdom, we find long life and riches. Will we find those in your life too?