Wisdom is Sincere

And now we arrive at the final quality of wisdom listed in James 3:17: sincerity.

Wisdom is sincere.

The New International Standard Bible states it this way: “without hypocrisy.”

The dictionary defines “sincere” as: 

“free of deceit, hypocrisy, or falseness; earnest,” “genuine; real,” “unadulterated.”

The dictionary defines “hypocrisy” as:

“a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc. that one does not really possess.” 

A second definition is this: “a pretense of having some desirable or publicly approved attitude.”

So within Christianity, then, one can be a hypocrite by pretending to hold to the tenets of the faith while not having fully submitted to them through salvation in Jesus Christ. 

Or, one can be fully saved in Christ, but, yet being a sinner, appear to be a hypocrite when in fact they have failed in that instance of being a Christian. 

In other words, they are sincere in their attempt to live out what they believe, but have tripped.

The thing it has taken me a long time to fathom and come to terms with, is this: 

1. We can’t expect non-Christians—even church-going ones—to act like Christians.

2. Christians, especially ones who have just begun reading the Bible and learning what it is to live Christ—to not just believe in Christ but to live Christ—will always appear as hypocrites when we fail. And since we continue to learn and grow in the wisdom and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ throughout our lives, we will continue, at times, to appear to live in hypocrisy. 

And so two things result from the above two facts:

Since we can’t expect non-Christians to act or think like Christians, we need to stop expecting them to! That is one aspect of being wise!

And secondly, just because we as Christians appear as hypocrites, doesn’t mean we are hypocrites. 

Let’s look at the dictionary definition again:

“A pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess.”

If we have a true salvation in Christ, we possess the mind of Christ, and everything attenuated with that:

“But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:15-16).

The problem isn’t pretense, if we have truly repented and accepted the forgiveness of Christ and died to our old self and risen with Christ in new life—the difficulty is that we have to begin that new life not knowing in advance how to do it perfectly. 

In short, we were sinners when we were saved and we continue to be sinners. However, the expectation—the command and will of God—is that we “run the race” toward spiritual maturity:

“Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14).

This is Christian sincerity often misconstrued as hypocrisy by the non-believing world: as we are running the race we are bound to fall short. 

People in the world simply cannot comprehend this without the Spirit of Christ to lead them:

“But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

So then, we don’t pay the world’s accusations any mind. Instead, we just keep running the race:

“…let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1b-2).

When people snicker or turn awkward—or even judge us hypocrites—at our being Christians, we hold our pearls close and worship God right then and there, calling out to God in our hearts, 

“‘I love You, O LORD, my strength.’ The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer. My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psalm 18:1-2).

The other alternative is to become consumed with defensiveness about being “hypocrites,” which only plays into the hands of Satan, the one who is named in the Bible as our accuser. He uses other people to do his earthly accusing so that we are made to feel bad about being Christians. Sometimes it is this feeling bad that leads us into the other definition of “hypocrisy:”

“a pretense of having some desirable or publicly approved attitude.”

By worrying about what other people think of us, be they Christian or not, we are in dire danger of falling into the hypocrisy of jettisoning some of our knowledge of the Lord and His precepts because we desire to be approved by the world more than by God. 

This is what having an idol before God is, which Scripture clearly forbids, for our own good:

“You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3).

Sin committed as a sincerely devoted child of God is not hypocrisy because we are not operating out of pretense; we are operating out of a fallenness that follows us into sincerely held salvation. We may not understand our sin until, over time, as we mature, God reveals it to us. Hence David’s plea to God:

“Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. 

Also, keep back your servant from presumptuous sins;

Let them not rule over me;

Then I will be blameless,

And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart 

Be acceptable in Your sight,

O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:12-14).

There is a hypocrisy which is indeed a hypocrisy for Christians because it is knowingly—with our full approval—turning our back on Christ while still professing Christ. I believe this is what David means by "presumptuous" sins.

Jesus says, in Matthew 15:7-9:

“You hypocrites, right did Isaiah prophesy of you:

‘This people honors Me with their lips, 

But their heart is far away from Me.

But in vain do they worship Me,

Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’”

In the end, there are two aspects of hypocrisy: in the one we are falsely accused by the public of hypocrisy.

In the other, we are accurately informed by God of hypocrisy. 

In all of it, then, we answer only to God. 

Sincerity, then, is not something we drum up on our own out of our own good intentions. As we have seen, it is quite a struggle to maintain sincerity as an underlying foundation. But duke it out we must, and win, in order to traverse to the full measure of Christ. 

One of the best verses that I feel encourages an attitude of sincerity is this:

“Then David the king went in and sat before the LORD, and he said, ‘Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?’” (2 Samuel 7:18).

Gratefulness towards others, towards our victories in Christ, and always towards God in Christ, is an unwavering element of sincerity. 

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4-7).

Copyright Barb Harwood

Wisdom is Impartial

We now look at the sixth trait of wisdom listed in James 3:17: impartiality. 

Wisdom is impartial. 

The New American Standard Bible translates the word as “unwavering.” 

The dictionary defines impartial as being not biased; fair and just.

It defines unwavering as “steady or resolute.”

So to be wise, one is unwaveringly fair and just. 

One does not jump to conclusions, act first and ask question later, or hit the ground running with hastily-made impressions of people and situations. 

One acts fairly to all people, in all situations, at all times. 

One is steady in dealing with those of other opinions and viewpoints, recognizing the justness of allowing them to see things differently. 

Thus, a truly wise politician will cooperate fairly and justly with all other politicians, working with them as peers and colleagues—not as enemies.

A truly wise teacher will impartially and objectively relay the material to be taught, free from being tainted by a personal agenda, political motivation or moral worldview.

A truly wise parent will treat all of their children with equal respect, love and discipline, never playing favorites. 

A truly wise friend or spouse, although experiencing a unique closeness with their friend or spouse, will nonetheless remain impartial when it comes to speaking the truth in love and putting fairness and justness above the relationship. 

“Many a man proclaims his own loyalty,

But who can find a trustworthy man?

A righteous man who walks in his integrity—

How blessed are his sons after him.” Proverbs 20:6-7

“He who pursues righteousness and loyalty

Finds life, righteousness and honor.” Proverbs 21:21

“to show partiality in judgment is not good.” Proverbs 24:23b

“Oil and perfume make the heart glad,

So a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend.” Proverbs 27:9

“Iron sharpens iron,

So one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17

To be impartial in today’s world is exceedingly rare. 

As Christians, it is God’s clear call:

“My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.” James 2:1

“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.”James 2:8-9.

To be impartial does not mean we throw discernment out the window. It means we base all discernment on first being impartial. We do not let personal presuppositions fog up the window of reality.

How many of us have automatically written someone off because they wrote for a liberal newspaper? How many of us have unflinchingly despised someone based solely on the expensive car they drive, or the prestigious university they attended? How many of us have snickered at people who shop at low-budget stores and have no college degree? 

It is so acceptable nowadays to compartmentalize everything under a banner of personal self-righteousness and superiority. 

It has become downright caustic out there—people refusing to let go of their tightly wound positions, platitudes, assumptions and entitlements, which only turns them increasingly into being partial to one person: themselves.

And when we become overwhelmingly partial to our way—to ME—we make it impossible to be unwaveringly fair and just to anyone else. This is bound to result in a rather bitter, ornery existence.

For Christians to make an impact in this world, impartiality must appear—and quickly—on the scene. It must be woven into daily interactions, relied upon in order to love our neighbor, and sought after so that self promotion no longer reigns. 

It is out of the baseline of impartiality that respect, kindness and the practice of listening emerge. It is the antidote to the poison of “my rights, my political party, my being offended.” 

And it is the necessary segue to the next, and final, component of wisdom in our verse: sincerity. 

Copyright Barb Harwood

Wisdom is Mercy, Bearing Good Fruit, Part Two

The blog post preceding this one explored the difficult side of mercy. But mercy also has another side: an easy side, for lack of a better term. 

And this is the way we typically understand mercy: compassionate, kind-hearted care or concern for others. 

This can be much easier than the previous type of mercy in that, for one, it is expected and thus, taught and modeled. It is often what we think of when we talk about charity or having a “servant-heart.”

And it can be much more readily engaged in than the difficult kind of mercy because, quite frankly, it can, and often does, tap into what we are organically good at.

So, for instance, It can feel great to volunteer at a job placement center and use our God-given gift of counseling and networking to connect those looking for a job with employers looking for employees. 

It will be a joy to teach art in an assisted living center when art is what we would do in our free time anyway, and our pleasure is increased by sharing that creative time with others, encouraging them along the way. Mercy here says, “You have a God-induced passion for and will to create art. I am here to guide, encourage and celebrate this Godly disposition with you.”

We might posses a high capacity for patience, allowing us to successfully work with children, or with people who don’t move as quickly and can’t do things as readily as someone else. Our mercy for their situation builds them up within their capabilities—not feeling sorry for them but equipping them to live a full, and perhaps independent, life, where they can grow in confidence and maturity.

We may develop mercy for a specific population of people after going through a traumatic experience of our own, eager to offer them encouragement and support. 

In all ways—be it in difficulty or ease—mercy bears fruit—if we operate mercifully God’s way—not only with others, but also with ourselves and our children. 

And whether it comes in the form of "tough love" or productive compassion, we are called, as disciples of Christ, to incorporate mercy into our life that God may bear His fruit. 

Biblical mercy goes where God intends it to go for His ongoing purpose of increasing His good in the world, which is good for all of us. That is the fruit of Biblical mercy. 

"for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." Philippians 2:13

“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:12-16 

“For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.” Titus 3:3-8

copyright Barb Harwood

Wisdom is Mercy, Bearing Good Fruit

In this progression through James 3:17, we now come to mercy and good fruit, flowing so logically out of submission.  

Notice that mercy and good fruit are listed together, as one entity. 

That is because mercy, in its Godly form, bears good fruit! The two cannot be separated. 

And unlike human mercy, the mercy of God is never-ending; it is “new every morning” ( Lamentations 3:22-23). 

Also unlike human mercy, God’s mercy is not enabling, meddling, or controlling (Luke 5:31-32). (And so, in mercy as in all things, we are to be imitators of God--Ephesians 5:1). 

As humans, we may think we are being “merciful” when, in reality, we are only allowing dysfunction to continue, and even to progress to increasingly detrimental levels. 

Mercy is not giving people money who could earn it themselves. 

Mercy is not being used by adult children to prop them up in their laziness or their holding out for a job they are doing nothing to equip themselves for. 

Mercy is not looking the other way when we see a person we are close to cheating on their spouse, ingesting drugs, hurting others, or gossiping. 

Mercy is not agreeing with or operating as though we cannot be discerning about societal value systems that are in direct opposition to God’s value system—(a value system established and proven in the life-giving Christ). 

There is a difference between acceptance of what another person chooses for him or herself, and condoning. 

Mercy, when we are in a relationship with a person, gently talks things out, addresses concerns and offers help towards a solution. 

Mercy prioritizes our responsibilities: 

So if (taking an example from my own life), we are attempting to live in sobriety after 21 years of alcohol addiction, our priority is not to our drinking friends and families. 

Our merciful duty is not to them, but to our sobriety.

Our priority is not to surround our children with drinking loved ones all the years of their growing up. 

Our priority is to have mercy on the miracle God is working in us to empower us through His Spirit to break an addiction that has strong-armed us into slavery and misery for 21 years—to show mercy to ourselves and our children in our present attempt at sobriety, as well as being merciful to breaking the chain of addiction in our children’s future.

Mercy doesn’t give in to sin—either our sin or the sin of others. It resists sin so that mercy, true mercy, can prevail. 

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence, and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

“We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for another and for all people” (1 Thessalonians 5:14-15).

The way God set things up, there are consequences to sin in order that we do not miss out on all He has in store for us and the community of His people. 

So although He forgives repentant hearts and minds, He often follows sin up with consequences in the logic that the consequences will teach us not to sin in that way again.  

It is the refinement of God that we already acknowledge and expect in the real world, especially in the raising of children. 

We know full well that frequently the most merciful thing we can do for a loved one is to correct—to protect from harm by saying “No,” holding accountable, and taking away privileges. 

That is the side of mercy that leaves no choice but to do the difficult thing:

“My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD

Or loathe His reproof,

For whom the LORD loves He reproves,

Even as a Father corrects the son in whom He delights” (Proverbs 3:11-12).

“It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” Hebrews 12:7-11

One of the most beautiful, and, I believe, overlooked passages in Scripture is the following:

“My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20).

However, the above passage is beautiful only if done along with this:

“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted (Galatians 6:1).

The above two verses, combined, strike a rather rare pose of mercy—one not commonly adopted. We, and I have been guilty of this many times in the raising of my children, often excel at “restoring,” while failing miserably at “gently” and “watching ourselves.” 

So then, mercy does admonish: it is one of the most loving things anyone can do for another. Fruit that comes of correction is lasting, maturing, sanctifying. But, just as we desire gentleness from others with whom we are in conflict, they also require it from us. 

Tomorrow I will take a look at the other side of mercy, the one we typically think of when we contemplate what it means to be merciful.

Copyright Barb Harwood