Wisdom's Fruit

Yesterday, I wrote about how our pride eventually humbles us and that when we learn to be humble wisdom is to follow. But what follows the acquisition of wisdom? Once you have wisdom does that mean you've arrived? Hardly. As you will see in the following verse, wisdom is merely a milestone on the way to righteousness.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. -- James 3:17-18

A very power-packed couple of verses! First, note the source of wisdom we seek is Heaven. What is cool to me is that all of the traits listed for our heavenly wisdom are traits that Jesus possesses. They are traits that we should be striving for in our quest to receive this wisdom, to be more like Jesus. To carry these traits makes us peacemakers and it tells us that a peacemaker's harvest is righteousness.

So, our path to righteousness seems clear. First we have to do away with our pride and foolishness and see to be humble. When we humble ourselves before our Lord Jesus and confess our faith in Him, we start on a path of wisdom. We become God's peacemakers on Earth...and the harvest for sowing peace (remember that bit Jesus told us about loving our neighbors as ourselves?) is righteousness.

Tall orders indeed, but an honorable and worthy undertaking. One that reaps a reward for all eternity.