Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters,
when you encounter various trials,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
James began his letter by challenging his readers to completely reinterpret the trials, tests, and suffering that they encountered in life. He knew that they needed to see such things from God's perspective rather than their own so that they could push past human limitations and persevere when they would otherwise give up. Just them, in order us to become complete, to become Christians lacking in nothing, we have to have the right attitude about trials. Because James knew that this is challenging, and not our normal way of thinking, he encouraged us to ask for wisdom.
But if any of you lacks wisdom,
he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly,
and he will be given it.
Wisdom is learning to think about things and judge them as God himself does. Peter expressed the contrary position and was once condemned for thinking as human beings do. He had tried to stop Jesus from going to the cross, which surely made all the sense in the world from a merely rational vantage point. Instead, wisdom would have meant to consider that plan from God's perspective, which is how Jesus himself approached it. Jesus himself did pray that the cup might be taken from him, but preferred that the will of his Father be done. Jesus showed by example in his agony in Gethsemane that wisdom is not something that comes naturally, or even easily. It requires prayer and receptivity to gain wisdom.
But he should ask in faith, not doubting,
for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea
that is driven and tossed about by the wind.
We tend to ask for wisdom as a mere contingency plan in case we can't solve things ourselves. We usually have several other plans that do not require faith ready to go as our primary options. We tend to imagine we'll be able to fall back on wisdom if these do not succeed. But if we are not fully invested in wisdom we won't be able to receive it. Receiving wisdom means the willingness to relinquish the control that merely human ways of thinking appear to offer.
For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord,
since he is a man of two minds, unstable in all his ways.
Wisdom can only perfect and complete hearts that are willing to be given over to it entirely. Only then, when relied on exclusively, can wisdom make sense of suffering and sustain us in difficult circumstances.
James knew that most of his readings had yet to fully experience the promise of wisdom. He wanted them to be aware of that promise and the difference it could make in their lives. He saw that a community experiencing trials and persecutions needed nothing more than wisdom. The good news he proclaimed to them was wisdom was freely and abundantly available for them if they would simply stopped hedging their bets.
The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus,
seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.
Wisdom had already vindicated Jesus by his teachings and his many works. But the Pharisees had a hardness of heart that caused them to ignore signs that amazed others. Then, as now, miracles happened and those open to faith witnessed them, while those whose hearts were closed did not. The Pharisees wanted a sign on their terms, something that would be the equivalent of of controlled and verifiable lab experiment where they themselves were the only authority competent to judge. Yet it has always been uncommon for the workings of the Kingdom to be visible under the microscope. No proof given will ever force us past the free decision of faith, for God remains ever as a gentleman. He invites. He proposes, but does not impose. Wisdom allows the people of God to recognize God's presence, and gives us the humility to allow him to reveal himself on his terms and not our own.
Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.
In the face of the sufferings of the world do we still insist on signs to justify the situation to our standards? Or do we instead see that wisdom teaches us to trust in the signs we have already seen, chief of which is the Cross itself, as proof that suffering is ordered toward and permitted because of a greater perfection that can be brought about in no other way.
It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
that I may learn your statutes.
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