Practice Beautiful Behaviour – Wisdom in Action (James 3:13)
When James speaks about wisdom, he’s not talking about mere knowledge or opinions; he’s pointing to a lifestyle of humility and good deeds. “Who is wise and understanding among you?” he asks, challenging the early Christians to prove their wisdom through their actions. True wisdom isn’t about sounding clever but showing godly character through our lives—what James describes as “beautiful behaviour.”
This “beautiful behaviour” is evident in deeds done in humility, inspired by God’s wisdom. Take a recent example: I visited a shop called Just Ice, which is committed to supporting survivors of human trafficking through ethical business. Their entire ethos centres around making a difference, showing compassion, and helping rebuild lives. This kind of work is more than a social enterprise; it’s a real-life example of Christian principles in action—practising wisdom through deeds rather than just words.
In contrast, we’ve all encountered people who project an air of wisdom but lack substance behind it. A while back, I hired a plasterer who boasted about his expertise but couldn’t follow the instructions we’d agreed upon. Despite his confidence, his work revealed the truth: wisdom is more than knowledge; it’s about being able to apply it practically and humbly.
Practising beautiful behaviour means choosing actions that reflect God’s love and humility, not our pride. James warns against the temptation to appear wise without truly embodying it. True wisdom is displayed in our everyday actions, in our interactions, and in the choices we make to support others.
So, how can we practice beautiful behaviour? We start by looking at our own actions, aligning them with values of kindness, integrity, and humility, and remembering that our actions speak louder than any claims of wisdom. As followers of Christ, let’s aim to live in a way that makes others see God’s wisdom in us.
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