Works… done in the meekness of wisdom
Works… done in the meekness of wisdom
James 3:13 Doing good works without seeking the attention and admiration of others is what this verse is all about; another lesson in becoming more Christ-like.
”Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.“
James 3:13 NKJV
It’s always a good feeling when I read a Bible verse and immediately have an example in mind to use in a Heaven on Wheels devotional! Today we’re looking at the Epistle of James to the dispersed Christians of Jewish origin, at a point about halfway through the letter.
You might remember from earlier devotionals that the author, James, is believed by most Biblical scholars to be James, a brother of Jesus, rather than James the son of Zebedee or James the Lesser (James the son of Alphaeus). His main reason for writing the epistle was to encourage the early Christians to live in Christ, condemning sins like pride, hypocrisy, favoritism, and slander. He asks believers to live humbly by godly wisdom instead of worldly direction, and encourages prayer in all situations.
By this point midway in the epistle, James is emphasizing godly wisdom, so this could be considered the “heart” of this letter. In the NASB translation of this verse, this section is titled “Wisdom from Above”. In the original Greek, the word translated here as “meekness” is πραΰτης (prautēs, pronounced prah-oo'-tace), with the definition being “humility”.
That’s what reminded me of our years at a local Lutheran church, as there was a woman at that church who definitely didn’t do her “works in the meekness of wisdom”. Whenever the church needed a volunteer or a leader, she was there, even when others could have performed a task with more skill or no more volunteers were needed. She was one of those volunteers who really wasn’t doing her work quietly out of her honest desire to serve God; instead, she had a tendency to seek the admiration and praise of the pastors and congregation at the church. Humility was not her strong suit.
Thankfully, the vast majority of church volunteers are not like this woman, instead doing their jobs quietly, humbly, and without needing to be put on a pedestal and seeking kudos for everything they did. I think of God’s workforce of humble volunteers, who shovel snow before the sun comes up, who direct parking lot traffic in blazing heat, who toil in back rooms to make sure that everything has been prepared for a church service.
Church video team at work. Photo copyright © 2019 by Glenn Lee Robinson.
In many churches today, there are those who work soundboards and video equipment in near anonymity to ensure that people who can’t attend church in person can experience a service as if they were sitting in a seat at the church. Those who pray for their church, other people, and for the world without anyone else even knowing are showing their humility before God.
Doing good works without seeking the attention and admiration of others is what this verse is all about; another lesson in becoming more Christ-like.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Father in Heaven, I thank You for the epistle of James and its reminders for me to reflect the life and wisdom of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May I not only seek to do more good works to Your praise and glory, but perform those tasks with humility. My thanks go out to You for giving me the opportunity to serve You and Your church. AMEN.