Who is Wise?

James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.  But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

I want to be wise.  Do you?  I admire the humble.  Do you? 

We want to be around wise people, because they make excellent decisions based on faith, not on whims.  Humble people are attractive because they draw no attention to themselves or what they do, because they don’t boast aloud to others about how much they give or how hard they work.

But read further. 

This verse says if we have bitter envy and selfish ambition, this too should NOT be boasted about.  In fact, that sort of boasting is “demonic.”

These last few verses on boasting are quite sobering.

Pay attention to the word “harbor.”

There are going to be times when we are not wise and we find ourselves boasting in things that are not good.  But we can quickly turn from that and redirect our boasting to God, if we are careful not to “harbor” (give a place of shelter to) or nurse those unwise feelings and thoughts.

Whatever we nurse, attend to, and give shelter to in our hearts and minds is that which will rise to be our demise…or our success.

Let’s make sure we harbor humility and leave all boasting that we do, to be boasting and exalting in Him.