October 16, 2025 | Be God's Family
Earthly Wisdom
Scripture: James 3:13-16(NIV)
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
Devotional
Have you met that person who seems to know everything? That person who is always right and never wrong? They know the right thing, the best thing to buy, the latest news, the right way to do something, how things need to be done. I have, and it brings out the worst in me. I want to show them that they are wrong. I want to win, to be right.
This scripture about wisdom speaks to both of these reactions by discussing the wrong kind of wisdom. William Barclay, in his Daily Bible Study series, notes that James points out that this type of wisdom is earthly–that is, it measures success in earthly terms. It is of natural man.
Barclay goes on to explain that in the ancient world man was divided into 3 parts: 1) the physical body (skin, blood etc.); 2) the soul–the physical life we share with the animals, just being here; and 3) the spirit–what makes humans different than animals and connects us to God. We, in our modern age, tend to think of the soul and the spirit as the same, but ancient man made a differentiation. James is pointing out that arrogant wisdom belongs to the body and soul. It is not of the spirit, not of God. It only thinks of self; how can I look the best? What will I get out of this?
James is warning Christians against this kind of thinking. He is encouraging them to be humble in thought and deed. By seeking spiritual wisdom through God, we will encourage others to work together, to look at what God's answer might be in any given circumstance, rather than relying on our own imperfect wisdom.
When I come up against this type of "wisdom", I try to remind myself that I am not important in this moment. God's truth is what is important. I don't always succeed, but I am trying. How about you? Is this earthly type of wisdom hard for you? Do you find yourself in these words? Humility can be difficult, especially when we think we are right. Keeping ourselves centered in God can help.
Paul says it well in Romans 12:9-10: "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil, cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves."
Poem
Earthly Wisdom
Proverbs 20
Don’t ever say, “I’ll get you for that!” Wait for God; he’ll settle the score. God hates cheating in the marketplace; rigged scales are an outrage. The very steps we take come from God; otherwise how would we know where we’re going? An impulsive vow is a trap; later you’ll wish you could get out of it.
Proverbs 20:22-27
We learn it early, don’t we?
To cheat to get ahead
To lie if in our interest
To silence truth instead
Of being forthright, honest
Bearing right judgment wrought
This earthly kind of wisdom
Is how a soul is lost
