James 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. Men are naturally fond of a reputation for superior understanding and wisdom. Here, then, is the best way to show the real possession of such superiority; not by a forward self-consequence — a self-commendatory, and over-eager desire to dictate to others from the teacher's chair; not by a magisterial dogmatism of manner; not by a lofty and supercilious contempt of other men and their views and modes of instruction; not by a keen, contentious, overbearing zeal. No; let the man of "knowledge" and "wisdom" show his possession of these attributes — acquaintance with truth, and sound discretion to direct to the right use of it — by keeping his station, and studying to adorn it. Let him, first of all, maintain "a good conversation" — or course of conduct, private and public — a conversation upright and holy, in full harmony with the genuine influence of Divine truth, and "let trim show, out of such a conversation, his works" — the practical results of his knowledge and professed faith. These "works" consisted in active conformity to the duties required by Divine precept, in all the various relations of life, more private or more public. And these "works" were to be shown "with meekness of wisdom" — that is, with the meekness by which genuine wisdom is ever distinguished. Vanity is one of the marks of a weak mind. Humility and gentleness are the invariable associates of true wisdom. The two were united, in their respective fulness of perfection, in the blessed Jesus. Let the man, then, who would have a character for true wisdom manifest in his entire deportment "the meekness and gentleness of Christ." (H. Wardlaw, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. |
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