"If any of you are lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given to you." James 1:5 (English Standard Version)

     Wisdom is a storied concept in the Biblical writings. The book of Proverbs personifies Wisdom and gives her a place at God’s side in the act of creation. "The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens." (Proverbs 3:19, ESV) The Old Testament identifies a group of books as Wisdom Literature. The corpus includes Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, The Song of Solomon and various Psalms. The thesis of Wisdom Literature is that God left his fingerprints all over the world which he created; thus if we take a close look at his creation, we will discover the personality and the characteristics of the Creator.

     James continues this tradition in the New Testament. His writing is often compared stylistically to Proverbs. In his brief epistle he moves from one seemingly desperate thought to another. Each thought is complete in itself, yet these thoughts seem organized randomly. One author describes James as a pearl necklace—each pearl is beautiful as an individual gem, yet the strand connects the individual beauty into a unity.

     It is not surprising then that early in his epistle, James comes to the subject of Wisdom. In James 1:5 he tells his listeners three things. First, each of us needs wisdom. If Wisdom helped God design the universe, then God’s children need wisdom to design their lives. James never debates the need for wisdom; he emphatically urges us to acquire it if we don’t have it. Second, God wants to give us wisdom. It is God’s desire that we make life choices that honor and glorify him; and he wants us equipped fully to make those decisions. Third, whether wisdom becomes a part of our life depends upon our willingness to ask for it. James recognizes that seeking wisdom is an act of faith—trusting God with our very lives. James conclusion is basic: put your faith into action; ask God for wisdom for living. We will talk more about faith next time.