"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."
- James 3:17-18
"But the wisdom from above is...impartial..."
Welcome to Day Six!
Soldiers of Righteousness, Jesus Christ endured pain, humiliation, and wrath as the Good Soldier (Josh. 5:13-15; Rev.19:11-16). With unflinching resoluteness, our Savior shows that wisdom is not dazzled or distracted by the ephemeral, but gives thought to the eternal (2 Cor. 4:16-18). Because our King will establish justice in eternity, let us relate to others without suspicion, without partiality, and without judging. Manton summarizes the implications of this word in our passage by stating, “If you render it ‘without suspicion’ it means: true wisdom does not suspiciously inquire about other people’s faults; when we want to make others worse than they are, we make ourselves worse than they, for we show malice.” Pray for opportunities to build up one person today in love (Jude 20).
The hymn writer Thomas Kelly wrote “Zion Stands by Hills Surrounded” by expressing by the truth of Psalm 125:2, and it aids us in praying James 3:17.
Zion stands by hills surrounded,
Zion, kept by pow’r divine;
all her foes shall be confounded,
though the world in arms combine;
happy Zion,
what a favored lot is thine!
Ev’ry human tie may perish;
friend to friend unfaithful prove;
mothers cease their own to cherish;
heav’n and earth at last remove;
but no changes
can attend Jehovah’s love.
In the furnace God may prove thee,
thence to bring thee forth more bright,
but can never cease to love thee;
thou art precious in his sight;
God is with thee—
God, thine everlasting light.
May the eternal love of our heavenly Father enable you to endure any affliction as you find refuge in his steadfastness.
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