James moves right from taming the tongue to showing how wise and understanding you are. Kind of like saying, "OK, you talk a good game, let's see you do it."
At one school I worked at as a categorical program advisor (that means I did go-for work for the principal) there was one teacher that when I first listened to him sounded like a very polished educator. I thought that when I walked into his room I would find a finely tuned learning environment. When I did enter his class it was chaos. He talked a good game, but, his actual classroom management skills left a lot to be desired.
We all should desire to be holy and to know Christ intimately. James refers to "deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom". Humility is knowing who you are in Christ and living accordingly. We love because he first loved us (I John 4:19). Remember that when Christ taught the disciples how to pray he made forgiveness mandatory (Matthew 6:14-15). When we understand forgiveness we must be humble because we realize our own sinfulness. If it wasn't for God's grace in Christ's death on the cross we would still be dead in our sins! None of us is such a good person that God had to save us. Wisdom is knowing this truth and living, as in treating others with the same grace and mercy God has shown you, accordingly.
My hope today is not to "knock you down a notch" but to encourage you to remember the grace and mercy God has shown you in Christ. He died for you. Before the creation of the universe he chose to die for you, knowing all the sins you would commit (those before and after you would accept Christ). God is graciously Sovereign.
Father, thank you for your grace and mercy to us. Open our eyes to see your grace and mercy in our lives. Help us to live in humility. Praise be to you in us today!
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