David H. Roper
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God. —James 1:5
Wisdom is the beauty of holiness. James says wisdom is reasonable; flexible; forgiving; peaceful; caring; given to friendly visits, small acts of courtesy, and kind words. It is humble, transparent, simple, gentle, and gracious to the core (James 3:17).
Where can wisdom be found? It comes from heaven (1:5). “Wisdom,” wrote Charles Spurgeon, “is a beauty of life that can only be produced by God’s workmanship in us.”
It’s good to ask from time to time: “Am I growing in wisdom?” After all, life is relentlessly dynamic. We’re either growing sweeter and wiser as the days go by, or we’re growing into foolish or even sour-faced curmudgeons. Into what are we growing?
It’s never too late to begin growing in wisdom. God loves us with an ardent, intense affection that can deliver us from our foolishness if we yield ourselves to Him. His love can make the most difficult nature into a miracle of astonishing beauty. It may hurt a little and it may take a while, but God relentlessly seeks our transformation. When we ask, His wisdom will begin to rise in us and pour itself out to others.
We have this promise: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to [you]” (1:5).
Lord, please put an end to our foolishness and
turn our hearts toward the wisdom that comes
only from You. We ask You now to take our
lives and transform them into Your likeness.
True wisdom begins and ends with God.
你們中間若有缺少智慧的，應當求……上帝。 —雅各書1章5節
全年讀經: 詩篇37-39篇 使徒行傳26章
智慧是聖潔之美。雅各說，智慧是通情達理、靈活、寬容、和平、有愛心；是友好的拜訪，是微小的禮貌舉止，以及仁慈的話語。智慧也是謙卑、坦蕩、單純、溫柔，以及滿有憐憫（雅各書3章17節）。
何處能尋得智慧呢？智慧是從上頭來的（1章5節）。司布真曾這麽寫道：「智慧乃是一種生命的美，惟有藉著上帝在我們裏麵的工才能彰顯出來。」
我們最好經常審查自己：「我有沒有變得更有智慧？」畢竟，生命是一段持續的變動過程。隨著日子一天天過去，我們不是變得更和藹、更有智慧，就是變得愚昧、甚或成了擺著臭臉的倔老頭。我們想往哪個方向改變呢？
想增長智慧，永不嫌遲。上帝對我們的愛既熱切又強烈，隻要我們降服於祂，就能將我們從愚昧中釋放出來。祂的愛能將最困難的天性變為美得驚人的奇跡。雖然這轉變的過程可能會有一點痛苦，也會需要一點時間，但上帝不斷地要我們轉變。隻要我們向祂祈求，上帝的智慧就會從我們裏麵湧流出來，澆灌在周遭的人身上。
上帝應許：「你們中間若有缺少智慧的，應當求那厚賜與眾人、也不斥責人的上帝，主就必賜給（你）。」（雅各書1章5節）
求主除去我愚昧，
賜我心中有智慧；
求禰讓我的生命，
活出基督的光輝。
惟有上帝是真智慧的泉源。
