Willing To Yield (James 3:17)

 


Thursday, June 27, 2024


Psalm 140

2 Chronicles 13

James 3


Observance: Cyril of Alexandria, bishop and teacher (d. 444)


Willing To Yield (James 3:17)


The Christian pilgrimage is a journey that is always asking us to go deeper. We don’t want to just do worship, but to produce it from within. It is not enough just to be nice; we want to love. And instead of seeking to do what is right, we want to be able to do what is wise.


Every so often the Bible will give us a program, or a to-do list, such as the one given here in James 3:17. Wisdom is highly desirable, and St James has expanded out the definition of true wisdom for us. True wisdom, the wisdom from above, the wisdom of God, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. One of these sticks out: “willing to yield”, so let’s look at that one.


There are certain things on which we cannot be willing to yield, if we are to take into account the entirety of scripture, and so it must not be what St James is referring to. The truth of the gospel, of God and who God is, is something we cannot be willing to yield. Neither can we be willing to yield against sin; that one is even covered in this book. Jesus gives us a good example, as he yielded neither to the temptations of Satan nor to the threats against him on the basis of his teaching.


Surrounding the definition of “willing to yield” are certain other definitions, and these give us some hints. Peace is a big one. The pure wisdom from above is first pure, which means from God, and the first thing this leads to is peaceable wisdom. Peace in what situation? St James continues his definition of wisdom with the phrase “full of mercy”, and concludes it in the following verse talking about “the fruit of justice sown in peace by those who make peace”. The wisdom in willing to yield seems to be willing to yield punitive justice, then, for the sake of peace and mercy.


This wisdom “from above” is the wisdom of the Lord Jesus. God does not desire the death of anyone, but would rather all turn from their sins, and live. God’s wisdom is the wisdom that contains both justice and mercy. And so Jesus came and bore justice in his death on the cross, so that we may bear the mercy of his resurrection. We do not have the wisdom to pass God’s judgement; but we do have the wisdom to pass God’s mercy, willing to yield for the sake God’s peace.


Where are you feeling a bit stubborn in your attitude towards others? Is it something that you could be willing to yield on?


God of wisdom, send me your wisdom from above, so that I may also sow peace in the world.

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