How are we to live our lives? How do we get things done? Our text in James speaks of two ways. One is the sinful way that we are born with. Our fallen nature has become natural to us, even though it was not in God’s original design. This is the wisdom of the world that will fight to get it’s own way. The other way of wisdom is the wisdom of God, which is peaceful, pure and looks at the whole community and has God’s perspective.

In verse 14, the bad wisdom is described as having bitter envy. This is the "wisdom" that is driven from frustration. Perhaps there is a bitter envy of another person. But ultimately, it is a bitter envy of God himself. We ask, "Why does God let this happen? Why aren’t things going my way?"

Verse 14 also describes this wisdom as selfish ambition. This so often describes our efforts. We care about what we care about and are less concerned with the effects of our actions of others. Verse 15 calls this sort of wisdom, of the devil. It is not just another option to follow. It is of the devil and brings with it all sorts disorder and evil practice. It brings misery.

Osama bin Laden and those behind the terrorist attacks are an extreme example of this. They have no concern for anyone but themselves. Their "wisdom" has rightly been called evil. But in a lesser extent, we operate in the same way. We look at other people, not as objects of our love, but as obstacles that hinder us from getting our way. Bitter envy and selfish ambition drive our thoughts and actions. We want our way, even if hurts others. We may not purposely exclude them or wish them ill. It is just that they never were part of our thinking in the first place. We don’t see ourselves connected to them, or the heavenly King.

Here is the slogan of the unspiritual and devilish wisdom. When at first you don’t succeed, get a bigger hammer. Perhaps the hammer is political maneuvering, or greater force, or better arguments, etc. Sometimes it "works" but we get what we were after, only to find our lives in flames.

God’s wisdom is different. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere (v 17). Isn’t that like a fresh breeze on a summer night? On top of that it is effective wisdom.

God is patient and we should be too. God is in control so we can be at peace. We get so focused on our concern, that we lose perspective and we lose our peace. But God’s wisdom is on the whole. It is pure. It wants what is right. God’s wisdom seeks the things after God’s heart, according to God’s Word.

Heavenly wisdom is peace loving. It does not get its way by brute force, but by the Holy Spirit. It is considerate. It wants to understand the concerns of others. It is full of mercy and good fruit. When we deal with other people, we need to have a heart full of mercy. Heavenly wisdom is full of good fruit. What is the result of our wisdom? Is it producing good fruit? Or is it producing disorder and every evil practice? Is our wisdom the heavenly kind, or the devilish kind?

Heavenly wisdom is impartial and sincere. It is after what God is after. Sometimes it is easy to see what God is after because we are blinded by our own desires. Heavenly wisdom continually asks, "what is God after?" It continually looks at its own fruit and asks, "Do I see the peace and goodness of God, or not?"

In the two kinds of wisdom, it is clear which is better. Only one works and is pleasant. So why are we so often tempted to use the earthly, unspiritual devilish wisdom? Because we are sinners. We take our eyes off Jesus, the King and take matters into our own hands. We get more focused on our own self and less on our Savior.

The truth is, unless we really know Jesus, we won’t be able to live by the wisdom he gives. Where does this wisdom come from? It comes down from heaven. It is a gift to us from God. It is part of the gift that God gives us when he offers us the Savior. We have to receive Jesus as our Savior and then follow him as our Lord. This process of following Jesus is a gradual thing (called sanctification). Day by day he pulls the weeds out of our lives and replaces it with good plants that will bear fruit. But the weeds keep coming back. We need to turn to our Savior over and over for forgiveness and healing. And he gives it.

Is Jesus your Savior and Lord? Have you given him control of your life today? What things are you forging forward in your own wisdom, rather than take the gift of his heavenly wisdom? We let the prince of Peace rule in our hearts. Then we will be peacemakers who sow in peace and raise a harvest in righteousness.