all the answers. Do you know any body like that? Too often Chris tians can be obstinate, unbending, implacable, and stubborn. This will not bring inferiority or be marked by weakness. Being a child of Cod we will be governed and motivated by the Holy Spirit, always open to reason. Such a person is willing to admit that he is wrong, when nec essary. Next, the one who possesses Cod's wisdom will sympathize and come to the aid of those who are less fortunate than himself. He is overflowing with compassion to ward a neighbor who suffers from some misery, even though the problem may have been brought on by his own ignorance or will ful neglect. He does not point up his misdeeds but tries to help him. Unless pity is moved to perform ance it is not genuine mercy. Christ did not tarry to consider whether we were worthy of His help. All of our woes were our own doing. Still He stopped down to rescue us from our sins. We, too, should be full of mercy. We are to emu late the Lord in our compassion ate view of others. The truly wise believer is with out partiality. He does not evaluate people on the basis of their posi tion or influence. He distinguishes in no way regarding social status, nor does he play favorites. We are repulsed by people who do this. May the Lord keep us from it! Finally James tells us that the wise believer is without hypocrisy. He is not an actor on a stage. His life is free from shame and pre tense. He is absolutely honest with other people as well as with him self, and his God. He is sincere and straight-forward. What a list of
of mercy, full of good fruits, with out partiality, and without hypoc risy. Christ is the wisdom of Cod who has come to indwell the be liever. He imparts the same kind of wisdom as is found in our heav enly Father. Do these virtues pre dominate your disposition and temperament? Cod's wisdom al ways manifests itself in a life of purity. What an important charac teristic in these days. No one can be really wise without being pure, consecrated and holy. This repre sents freedom from unworthy ul terior motives (Matt. 5:8). The man who possesses Cod's wisdom is also peaceable and un disturbed by trifles. He is free from human agitation. This is the oppo site of envy and strife. Heavenly wisdom creates an atmosphere of unity and concilliation. The wise Christian is one who not only loves peace but also labors to preserve it. Peace with Cod on the vertical plane results in peace with others on the horizontal. Only when you have real peace with Cod can you ever expect to have peace with your fellowmen. The truly wise Christian is also gentle. No single English word con veys everything that is found in this characteristic listed by James. It means "sweetly reasonable," "equiltably disposed," "courtesy," "kindness," "graciousness," and "forgiving." It tempers justice with mercy. It shows forbearance and allows for the limitations of oth ers. It patiently suffers from wrong doers without asserting itself. It al ways goes the second mile. Then, the wise believer is "easy to be intreated." He is open and obedient to reason. He is not so conceited that he thinks he knows
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