“But the wisdom that is from above is…full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” (James 3:17).
Just as counterfeit wisdom had identifying characteristics (James 3:14-16), genuine wisdom—that which is from God—also has distinctive traits. An octave of distinguishing features of the wisdom from above are named by James. The first four—pure, peaceable, gentle, and willing to yield—were considered yesterday. The final four are:
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Full of mercy. Wise people seek to find the best, most compassionate course of action. Both love and wisdom are demonstrated in mercy.
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Full of good fruits. A solution which puts everyone in a win-win situation is a wise one.
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Without partiality. Being a respecter of persons is ungodly (James 2:1-12). Therefore, it is impossible for the wisdom from above to have this vile poison in it.
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Without hypocrisy. Telling others how to address a certain challenge in life but refusing to follow your own advice displays a lack of godly wisdom. If you will not follow the dictates of your own counsel, you would do best to recognize the worthlessness of it and keep it to yourself.
What a rich and precious blessing the wisdom from above is!
