The Meekness of Wisdom

“Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.”

(James 3 v. 13)

The hopeful anticipation of the future and my life as a Christian woman always bring me to the idea of how much I would still like to know. The books on the floor of my library continue to pile up. And I look forward to the moment of each day when I can open one or two to peruse and grasp what is to come at the time, I finally sit down on a Saturday afternoon to begin reading. These are books holding distinctive characteristics of darker aged pages and those that are modern in cast. Though not an attempt to up the Bible in any way, both types, I am aware, offer so much to glean from; to learn from.

January of this year came with such major forces of disappointments and thinly disguised despair. Although I attempted to move through each event in quietude and gentle grace, the people in my life who know my checked and stilled disposition, caught on. They knew something was not right. To protect the privacy of others, my response to their asking was generic. Yet still, great empathy from these dear friends came to me. The plethora of unexpected January incidents taught me, and the gift bestowed on me, was that it does not matter how much I know, there will always come an opportunity when Satan, the great accuser of the brethren, creeps in.

He creeps in to attempt to destroy, to hurt, to set us in our places, to charge, to establish insecurities, to blame—-yes, these things and so many more. His aim in such instances is to make us believe that God is not enough, as he questions the God we worship. He, our Godhead of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He, our God, who gives us everlasting mercy and grace! 

Briefly faced with the questioning of my Christian abilities, I took time to discern what was really happening all around me. With utmost opening of my heart and in deligent prayer, I return to wholeness. I also remembered that, even with the constant issues of Satan’s disguises, Christianity continues to grow in every corner of the world. Truly, a hopeful gesture!

There is an old fallacy that assumes as Christians we must always accept people as they are. To a certain extent, this is correct in the stance that we must love everyone as children of God. However, what becomes dangerous is when our spiritual health or the spiritual health of another comes into question. In my daily work serving a secular world, there are moments when I am led to ask if the payment, I receive through my consulting services is even worth the effort I put into them. People who do not know God as He truly is, can be extremely vicious. And, from a personal example, no matter how much empathy and compassion are given, there is always the idea roaming in some minds, which says “I’ll get you before you get me.” Yes, this is the path of some people in the world. And it is what it is! But it is what it is to a certain degree.

No Christian walks around blameless. However, we understand the need for thorough gentle explanations and the imperative of repentance. We also know of forgiveness too. And, with these consistent approaches, we become grounded in the notion that God’s love is indeed absolute, static, and presented to everyone who will accept it. In this thought, we come to also know that in our stumbles we are jarred into remembering that, indeed, we are still not the spiritually led persons we aim to be. We recognize that the work must continue. Our adequacies in life, in resolve, in empathy, in compassion, and in forgiveness, only come from God (1 Cor. 3 vv.1-5).

“Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom (James 3 v. 13).” 

This is the verse leading my thoughts for this reflection. I have visited several commentaries for clarification of its meaning and found many parallels.

Matthew Henry in his commentary wrote:

“True wisdom may be known by the meekness of the spirit and temper. Those who live in malice, envy, and contention, live in confusion; and are liable to be provoked and hurried to any evil work. Such wisdom comes not down from above but springs up from earthly principles, acts on earthly motives, and is intent on serving earthly purposes. Those who are lifted up with such wisdom, described by the apostle James, is near to the Christian love, described by the apostle Paul; and both are so described that every man may fully prove the reality of his attainments in them. It has no disguise or deceit. It cannot fall in with those managements the world counts wise, which are crafty and guileful; but it is sincere, and open, and steady, and uniform, and consistent with itself. May the purity, peace, gentleness, teachableness, and mercy shown in all our actions, and the fruits of righteousness abounding in our lives, prove that God has bestowed upon us this excellent gift.”

On one of my recent Saturday afternoon moments of reading, I saw this:

“Forgiveness for me is an act of compassion: compassion for another and for the feelings they may have about actions that they now regret. If, when apologizing for my actions, I hope for reconciliation, then when someone apologizes to me, I must be willing to be reconciled and help relieve the burdens they still carry.” -John Andrew Gallery

In Gallery’s writings above, based on my own observations and encounters, I have come to realize that even in the reconciliation of hearts, reconciliation of form is not always possible. The process of God’s work in us offers us glimpses of what it means to be equally yoked (2nd Cor. vv. 14-15) with others—that is, if we are open to seeing them. The more we know God, the easier it is to understand our specific paths from God’s perspective. Isaiah 53 tells us God knows our pains and suffering, such as the pain and suffering His Son, Jesus endured for us. And within these dreadful moments, His Word guides us away from darkness into the light of Jesus, as we make every effort to bear His image.

Remake this place in my heart, is my constant early morning prayer. Remake my heart by removing the intentional and unintentional hurt I may have caused toward another. Remake my heart to remove any hurt that I have received from others.

Yes!

What a friend we have in Jesus /

All our sins and griefs to bear /

And what a privilege to carry /

Everything to God in prayer /

-Joseph M. Scriven and Charles Converse, Ireland (1868)

As we move into this Lenten season, may we only know, God is love and He loves us regardless of what some in this world so desperately try to tell us. Let’s remain focused on what matters most.

With love, 

Charlotte

Sources:

Gallery, J.A. (2024). To err is human. To forgive is human too. Friends Journal 70(1) p.8

Henry, M. (1706; 2003). Matthew Henry’s concise commentary on the bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers (Online)

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved-