Christians are not by default immune to operating according to the world’s ways of wisdom, and therefore James is writing to those who claim faith in Jesus, inviting us into a more beautiful and honoring way of living. In short, James brings us to the reality that wisdom, as is stated throughout the book of Proverbs, is a treasure to be desired, and when we live according to its ways, life is better because it cultivates in us the outward fruit of knowing Jesus.

The way the Old Testament speaks about wisdom would place it far above riches and wealth. Wisdom is personified throughout the book of Proverbs, and we are told to seek it and live according to its ways (Prov. 8:10-11, Prov. 8:35-36).

Read James 3:17-18

Here are seven characteristics of heavenly wisdom:

• Pure - free from defects and moral pollution and finding its ultimate source in Jesus for those who are in union with Him (1 Jn. 3:3)
• Peaceable - much more than the person who is “at peace.”. This describes the wholeness of the Hebrew concept of shalom. Peace with God, self, others, and the world.
• Gentleness - mercy and mildness. Both envy and ambition are tempered by this wise attribute.
• Open to Reason - a wise person is persuadable and will not remain obtuse when evidence should suggest a change in their opinion. They must know when to remain firm and when to adjust.
• Mercy and Good Fruits - James combines two attributes to form one thought. Both of these are outward-focused, shown to those in need, and shaped by Jesus’ teaching to love your neighbor.
• Impartial - without judgment. Showing preference to some divides the body of Jesus. James is referencing what he has already taught earlier in the book (Ja. 2:1-13).
• Sincere - Without hypocrisy. James definitely has in mind the relationship between what we proclaim versus what we practice, but probably also is warning against where insincerity could lead for the body of Christ: false teaching, immorality, partiality, and division.

The bottom line of wisdom, according to James, is that wise people understand God’s ways and conform their lives to those principles seen in verses 17-18. Wise people create a peaceful, loving community with those around them through personal cultivation of God’s truths and external application of wise approaches to relationships.