James 1:5-8
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does" (James 1:5-8).
So, James-- What if I doubt? Is my doubting I might receive wisdom doubting? What if I ask and do not get wisdom? If I asked for wisdom and didn't get it, am I a bad Christian? What if the wisdom I get isn't what I need, want, or relevant to my circumstance? Is the wisdom God will give me some super-spiritual wisdom that still leaves me high and dry this particular circumstance in Waco, Texas in 2012? I need wisdom! I know that! Help, Lord!
Doubting... The Greek word is diakrinomenos, and one commentator suggested that it be translated as "divided motives and divisive attitudes"(1). One of the themes I see in James is the call to radical, pure, single-hearted obedience to God in all things (trials, money, words and wisdom). A call to be perfect, like our heavenly Father is perfect (Mat. 5:48). We should ask for wisdom with the same mindset--ask for God's perspective on life, and ask looking to him completely. Furthermore, we should be willing to follow the Lord in what he tells us.
However, James highlights the fact that we can ask double-mindedly. Am I asking God for wisdom and still trying to play by the wisdom of the world? Am I trying to play it safe by having my eggs in two baskets? Am I willing to trust the Lord in the answer he gives me, or am I trying to evaluate his response by my own wisdom (self-dependence) or by what the world says (friends with the world). He will not cast pearls to the swine. Right now, I struggle with fear. It is tempting to try to look to God and look to what the world says for health, security, comfort, peace.... Rather, James is calling me to purity, to cast all on our heavenly Father. I have to ask myself, "What is the wisdom I am seeking? His, mine, or the world? Am I willing to obey?" This is what it means to ask without doubting--to cast all on him.
Relevant wisdom... God's wisdom is relevant--but is my perspective on my circumstance, my desire and prater for wisdom, relevant to God's wisdom? Again, what am I looking for? Our world, flesh (and our modern/postmodern) culture calls out for certainty, control, a quick-fix, magic, relief. Technology has accustomed us to being able to get answers quickly and conveniently. The media tells us we are omnicompetent and "the future is yours!" We can take the same mindset toward God--we recognize he is a source of wisdom, but we want it now and we want it our way. We tend to go to him just for confirmation of what we have set in our heart as the best path anyway. We are used to the therapeutic self-help books or e-how.com, which give clear guided steps (but so that we can help ourselves).
God's wisdom is the wisdom of character. He is more interested in us than in relief for a temporary situation. While the culture promulgates lies about the NOW of the experience, God is working for eternity. His wisdom is relevant to our situation--incredibly so. Yet, it may be calling us to become a person of character, to walk by faith, to develop a worldview that is after his heart. Dallas Willard uses the image of a father with a child--the father helps a toddler with his or her first steps, carefully guiding them. Yet, it would be unhealthy for a 30-year-old to be unable to walk. Granted, we are to always, always be dependent on our Lord (Ps. 130). Yet, we are to be transformed in the image of Christ. This is the wisdom of God. This is the most relevant thing to our circumstance.
However, as the entire Bible relates in historical stories, and as is praised in the psalms, our God is a particular God. He is involved in history. He does care about each and every circumstance that befalls us. May I not forget that.
How can I cast all, single-mindedly, on God? How can I trust him as he gives me wisdom to grow my character and become more like Christ in the particulars he has given me? "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God....Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Cor. 1:18, 24). Christ is the key to wisdom. First, he is the reason God can give common grace and special grace and special gifts such as wisdom; the reason why a Holy God can interact with a sinful people. Second, he frees us from sin so we can seek, desire, and receive wisdom from God. Third, he is the way we enter into a relationship with the Lord, and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Fourth, he is the revelation of God, what wisdom looks like lived out on earth. If (as I see so much throughout the book of James), James does allude so much to Jesus' teaching on the Sermon on the Mount, he would have had Jesus himself in mind. Fifth, and most importantly, Christ is the revelation of God's character. God is a God who gives generously, without finding fault. He can give without fault because we are in Christ. We see his generosity because he did not spare his own Son. How can we doubt his love? His generosity? How will he not also give us all things? (Rom. 8:31-32). We may not understand, but we can trust this God.
Christ is the wisdom of God, and trusting Christ is God's wisdom. And it is sufficient for my situation.
(1) David DeGraaf, "Some Doubts about Doubt: The New Testament Use of Diakrono," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 48:8 (December 2005): 741-43.
So, James-- What if I doubt? Is my doubting I might receive wisdom doubting? What if I ask and do not get wisdom? If I asked for wisdom and didn't get it, am I a bad Christian? What if the wisdom I get isn't what I need, want, or relevant to my circumstance? Is the wisdom God will give me some super-spiritual wisdom that still leaves me high and dry this particular circumstance in Waco, Texas in 2012? I need wisdom! I know that! Help, Lord!
Doubting... The Greek word is diakrinomenos, and one commentator suggested that it be translated as "divided motives and divisive attitudes"(1). One of the themes I see in James is the call to radical, pure, single-hearted obedience to God in all things (trials, money, words and wisdom). A call to be perfect, like our heavenly Father is perfect (Mat. 5:48). We should ask for wisdom with the same mindset--ask for God's perspective on life, and ask looking to him completely. Furthermore, we should be willing to follow the Lord in what he tells us.
However, James highlights the fact that we can ask double-mindedly. Am I asking God for wisdom and still trying to play by the wisdom of the world? Am I trying to play it safe by having my eggs in two baskets? Am I willing to trust the Lord in the answer he gives me, or am I trying to evaluate his response by my own wisdom (self-dependence) or by what the world says (friends with the world). He will not cast pearls to the swine. Right now, I struggle with fear. It is tempting to try to look to God and look to what the world says for health, security, comfort, peace.... Rather, James is calling me to purity, to cast all on our heavenly Father. I have to ask myself, "What is the wisdom I am seeking? His, mine, or the world? Am I willing to obey?" This is what it means to ask without doubting--to cast all on him.
Relevant wisdom... God's wisdom is relevant--but is my perspective on my circumstance, my desire and prater for wisdom, relevant to God's wisdom? Again, what am I looking for? Our world, flesh (and our modern/postmodern) culture calls out for certainty, control, a quick-fix, magic, relief. Technology has accustomed us to being able to get answers quickly and conveniently. The media tells us we are omnicompetent and "the future is yours!" We can take the same mindset toward God--we recognize he is a source of wisdom, but we want it now and we want it our way. We tend to go to him just for confirmation of what we have set in our heart as the best path anyway. We are used to the therapeutic self-help books or e-how.com, which give clear guided steps (but so that we can help ourselves).
God's wisdom is the wisdom of character. He is more interested in us than in relief for a temporary situation. While the culture promulgates lies about the NOW of the experience, God is working for eternity. His wisdom is relevant to our situation--incredibly so. Yet, it may be calling us to become a person of character, to walk by faith, to develop a worldview that is after his heart. Dallas Willard uses the image of a father with a child--the father helps a toddler with his or her first steps, carefully guiding them. Yet, it would be unhealthy for a 30-year-old to be unable to walk. Granted, we are to always, always be dependent on our Lord (Ps. 130). Yet, we are to be transformed in the image of Christ. This is the wisdom of God. This is the most relevant thing to our circumstance.
However, as the entire Bible relates in historical stories, and as is praised in the psalms, our God is a particular God. He is involved in history. He does care about each and every circumstance that befalls us. May I not forget that.
How can I cast all, single-mindedly, on God? How can I trust him as he gives me wisdom to grow my character and become more like Christ in the particulars he has given me? "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God....Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Cor. 1:18, 24). Christ is the key to wisdom. First, he is the reason God can give common grace and special grace and special gifts such as wisdom; the reason why a Holy God can interact with a sinful people. Second, he frees us from sin so we can seek, desire, and receive wisdom from God. Third, he is the way we enter into a relationship with the Lord, and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Fourth, he is the revelation of God, what wisdom looks like lived out on earth. If (as I see so much throughout the book of James), James does allude so much to Jesus' teaching on the Sermon on the Mount, he would have had Jesus himself in mind. Fifth, and most importantly, Christ is the revelation of God's character. God is a God who gives generously, without finding fault. He can give without fault because we are in Christ. We see his generosity because he did not spare his own Son. How can we doubt his love? His generosity? How will he not also give us all things? (Rom. 8:31-32). We may not understand, but we can trust this God.
Christ is the wisdom of God, and trusting Christ is God's wisdom. And it is sufficient for my situation.
(1) David DeGraaf, "Some Doubts about Doubt: The New Testament Use of Diakrono," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 48:8 (December 2005): 741-43.
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