James 3:13 Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly.
I like triads like the one the Message Bible puts together in verse 13: “Live well, live wisely, live humbly.” Two comments on a subject don’t seem to grasp the complexity of the thing and four is more than my mind can keep together, but three seems to make a nice balance. Sort of like a stool. Two legs are hard to balance but three bring stability. And stability is part of what James seems to be addressing here. It would be hard for me to balance living well, which I think of as happy, productive and with a certain degree of prosperity, with being wise, which I think of a grasping the big picture, finding what is best and best for all. I’ve tried and am not very good at it. As the saying goes, it is above my pay grade. But add live humbly to the mix and the foundation becomes more steady. In humility we can touch God’s wisdom even when we don’t fully comprehend it and we can live well even when we fail to live as good as we should. All three together bring a balance and steadiness. This week, what would it mean for you to live well, live wisely, live humbly?
Logan Memorial Presbyterian Church 