Wise Christians BEHAVE and RELATE TO OTHERS differently

 1. Wise Christians behave differently. In 3:13-17 James is most concerned about working out the practical implications of being wise Christians. He asks: Who is wise and understanding among you?v.13 And answers that those who are wise and understanding show it by their good lives, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. Their wisdom shows in the quality of their lives and actions.  Because if we live by spiritual wisdom, Jesus Christ wisdom, it is not just a matter of understanding but also of behaviour which flows from a wise living relationship with Jesus and the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

What a staggering list of characteristics are involved: pure (that is especially about our motives), peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere (verse 17).  Especially, wise Christians are peace makers.  This list deserves serious attention. What a combination of qualities.

And what a contrast with the 'wisdom' (it's in quotes) that does not come from heaven which is earthy and unspiritual. Such wisdom harbours bitter envy and selfish ambition, disorder and every evil practice (verse 15).  The unwise Christian remains captive to basic motivational forces of envy and ambition and almost delights when they see disorder and hurt for people with whom they have a poor relationship.

2. Wise Christians relate to others differently. Now James comes to his crunch question with which we began: What causes fights and quarrels among you? (4:1) He sees their cause lies within us. Fights and quarrels come from desires that battle within you. You want something and you covet it, you quarrel and fight.  And when you pray (yes, he's addressing praying Christians) what matters is how we ask. Because when we don't receive God's best it's because we ask with wrong motives bound up with our pleasures.  Bluntly, when something goes wrong in a relationship unwise Christians are not pure in their motives, asking whether envy, selfish ambition, causing disorder or worse is the trigger for their anger.  Is there a single quality in that list above in verse 17 that genuinely pleases us?  When someone offends us, how likely are we to pause and consider what makes for peace in the relationship? Or being considerate, full of mercy and good fruit?  All that goes out the window in our knee jerk response!

I need to be careful because I must not give the impression that I know much about Freud but mention of pleasure (4:3) reminded me of his emphasis on the pleasure principle as the initial principle of life.  As he put it: 'The aim of the pleasure principle is to rid the person of tension, or to reduce the amount of tension to a low level, to avoid pain and find pleasure.'  From a very different angle to James (very different!) he is analyzing why the inside battle goes for the soft pleasure option. Why trouble yourself to seek peace or be considerate when offended by someone.  The pleasure principle motivates us to stir up fights and quarrels!