I love it when I come across lists in the Bible. Most times they are either lists of what we should seek after and do or they instruct us on what we should stay away from and not do. Whenever you come across a list in scripture take a few minutes or even days to really digest what each word means and what the author is representing with the words chosen within the list. I have found lists in scripture to be some of the most impacting verses because they speak to at least one thing that I am most likely working on at any given moment. This week there is a list in James that is simply wonderful and worth looking at.

James 3:17 gives us a snapshot of what wisdom form heaven looks like. "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, and good fruit, impartial and sincere. What a great list to model our lives after. Most of us have been in school long enough to know that an education is a very valuable thing in our culture. But simply having an education does not qualify you as being wise or having any sort of wisdom. We all want to be considered wise in the choices we make and the lives that we lead. Who better to look to on how to be wise and have wisdom?

Each one of us needs to take personal inventory on our lives and ask ourselves if we are the things on this list. Am I peace-loving? Why or why not? Am I considerate? What does being considerate look like? I can tell you that sometimes I am not the most patient person in the world. When I become inpatient I have a tendency to not be as considerate of others even though I really should. An example for me, though it is somewhat trivial would be on the golf course. I can not stand slow play on the golf course and when it is really backed up I tend to push the players in front of me sometimes. I will hit the ball so that it lands just short of them to prod them along, telling them with my shot to pick up the pace. Now this is not the most considerate thing to do and certainly if I strike the ball incorrectly not the safest thing either, but I have to admit it is something that I have done. Looking back on it, I would have to say that even though no one has ever been hurt by my playing this way it has never once been the wise thing to do.

Now as I said this is a slightly silly example but it is the small things that we tend to get upset over and allow ourselves to become inconsiderate. Think of all the little things that push your buttons, traffic, interruptions, double dipping, lying to get our way, people who cheat, the list could go on and on. This week I would encourage you to take one of the things on this list every single day and look up what the bible says about each one.

For example, Tuesday, take the word peace-loving, Wednesday take the word considerate, Thursday-submissive and so on. Take that whole day and just think about that aspect of wisdom and how it relates to you life. Ask yourself if you exhibit these qualities and whether or not you understand what and how to do so if you aren't. Let each day this week be an exercise in wisdom as you work through what it is that God says wisdom is. Remember God's wisdom is considered foolish in the eyes of the world but ultimately God's wisdom is what true wisdom is and it is what we should all do what we can to understand and attain.

Final Thought: Remember that whenever you come across a list it is there for a reason and everything on the list has a value and a purpose for being on the list. Study each part of the list and you will find that your knowledge and wisdom will grow in leaps and bounds.