Actual Food — Wisdom

Sustenance for the Spirit

The book of James is packed with practical wisdom. The book begins by describing the audience as the “twelve tribes scattered”…which sounds like all Jews, but that is most likely representative of, well, everyone who believes. So, if we want some quick answers full of wisdom, James is our go-to read. Now, right off the bat James lets us know that there will be difficulties, known as “trials”, and we must prepare to “persevere”, but the good news is that the result will be maturity and completeness (verse 4). Then we come to verses five and six:

“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.”

It’s a pretty simple formula: first believe, then ask if you need more wisdom.

To believe is to be wise.

To ask is to be wise.

Blessings on your journey!