A Garden of Wisdom

Have you noticed life renewing itself all around us again? Spring is definitely in the air. I’ve noticed buds on trees; the grass is getting greener; I saw some green leaves beginning to grow on bushes; tulips and other flowers are breaking through the soil. If that weren’t enough I’ve noticed one more sign of life; weeds are growing again too.

I’m by no means a horticulturist (that is an expert on plants), but I know the difference between desirable plants and weeds. It seems that I keep pulling the same weeds every year. The same can be true in our lives. As Christians our desire should be to live a life that is like a beautiful flower garden pleasing to the Lord. Unfortunately many of us still struggle with weeds growing up where we want flowers.

• [13] Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here's what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It's the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. [14] Mean-spirited ambition isn't wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn't wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn't wisdom. [15] It's the furthest thing from wisdom—it's animal cunning, devilish conniving. [16] Whenever you're trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others' throats.
  [17] Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced.
  James 3:13-17 (MsgB)

I have often described wisdom as knowing the right thing to do and doing it at the right time and in the right way. Wisdom is not simply just knowledge; wisdom is the proper application and use of what we know.

As a parent I’ve sometimes told my kids, “You should have known better.” The truth of the matter is I have sometimes found myself saying or doing things, but I should have known better. I wanted my life to be a flower garden, but I planted weeds instead.

James gives us some practical advice on how to pull the weeds and plant the flowers of godly wisdom in their place. Living a life pleasing to God begins and ends with our relationships. A godly life of wisdom cannot be lived in a vacuum of isolation, but is demonstrated through our interaction with others. Yes, that’s were weeds flourish too, but the wise gardener knows how to eliminate the weeds before they choke out the flowers.