The Book of James: Authentic Faith Is VisibleНамуна

Faith That Submits

The true test of wisdom – and faith – is not how much you know, but how well you submit. This is easier said than done, though, because pride is easy to see in others but almost impossible to detect in ourselves.

James differentiates between two kinds of wisdom: so-called earthly ‘wisdom’, and godly wisdom. Earthly wisdom is fuelled by jealousy, selfish ambition, and pride, and it results in disorder and depravity. Earthly wisdom shows up in ways that can feel impressive but are deeply self-serving. It’s subtle. It’s strategic. It’s worldly. And it always leaves us emptier. You probably don’t have to look far to find evidence of the self-promoting, manipulative agendas of those seeking to control others. Maybe you’ve even noticed these traits in yourself.

Wisdom from above, God’s wisdom, may not always look impressive, but it builds peace, demonstrates gentleness, and overflows with mercy. It makes a beautiful, tangible impact on our relationships. It’s about choosing to forgive even when it’s costly, because peace matters more than pride. It speaks gently in conflict, prioritising understanding over being right. It flows from a life marked by humility, because true wisdom – and authentic faith – submits. If you’ve ever made a countercultural but God-honouring decision after praying, reading scripture, and seeking wise counsel, it’s unlikely you have any regrets, right? That’s wisdom from above.

James goes on to pinpoint the source of our struggle that leads to every kind of conflict: pride and selfishness warring within us. We crave what we don’t have – like more control, status, influence, or validation – and when we don’t get it, we often lash out at the unsuspecting around us. Even our prayers can be infected by selfish motives, and James confronts us with the hard truth that we can’t worship God while chasing the world’s values or seeking out ego-stroking applause.

James wants us to feel the full weight of our misdirected affections – not to crush us, but to remind us that our covenant-keeping God longs for our utterly surrendered hearts. Thankfully, God doesn’t dish out more rebuke and more condemnation. He gives more grace! And the only condition for this lavish, abundant, generous gift of grace is our humility. This is incredibly good news. If we need more grace – more of God’s pardon and power – our next step is to humble ourselves. Grace flows downhill, never uphill. That means the only way to receive it is to bow low before God.

May you rest in the truth that you don’t need to try harder. You simply need to surrender to God in every area of your life. This isn’t weakness. It’s wisdom! And it’s not the earthly wisdom that tries to make you look great. It’s the wisdom from above that makes God look great. May you experience the truth that in God’s Kingdom, the way up is down; the way forward is surrender; the way of greater grace and authentic, visible faith is the way of humility.