The Holy Spirit and Righteousness

"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace" (Jas. 3:17,18). This is such a powerful and integral passage of scripture that is worthy of extensive, honest study and meditation. This passage is a really clear statement about spiritual maturity in those who have endured faithfully in righteousness. I would like to make note of the part about "easy to be intreated," because the rest of the passage is fairly self explanatory. Being easily intreated means that someone is not difficult to approach, and is not going to react to anyone with anything but a good, pure spirit like the scripture says. What we're talking about here is someone who has allowed themselves to be molded by God into a vessel that holds peace under just about any circumstance. It brings to mind a verse from the Psalms that I have long loved: "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them" (Psm. 119:165). If we truly love God then we will learn to exemplify that love by being able to hold peace, regardless of how someone approaches us or what they approach us with. What is going on external to us, and who it's going on with is not the issue at hand. The issue at hand is always what kind of spirit do we have and how are we going to be effected by these external factors. There simply is never a 'good' reason to manifest a bad spirit, though bad spirits will try to convince us otherwise.

Just as it is a trait of godly wisdom to not be offended by what someone else is doing, it is also a trait of wisdom to not conduct ourselves in an offensive manner to others. The Bible tells us that "a soft tongue breaketh the bone" (Prov. 25:15). The only way to break an unruly spirit off of someone else is by demonstrating a spirit to them that is ruled by God's peace. The peace of God is a real fortress to us when we are anchored to it deep within our heart. If we can hold to it under duress it can become a fortress to those around us as well, including those who approach us with a not so peaceable spirit. So it is certain that if we possess the wisdom spoken of in our text passage, we will be able to hold to that peace when someone approaches us peaceably; including when they have contrary things to say to us. If we are not able to do this then we need to honestly admit that we are surely lacking wisdom. The good news is that we can get what we're lacking IF we ask God for it in faith, as James also informed us: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways" (Jas. 1:5-8). Finally I just have to say that the conclusion of the matter is evident: "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding" (Prov. 4:7). Amen.