James
3:13-18 talks about wisdom...earthly wisdom and also wisdom from above (from
God). He stated that it is pure...peaceable...gentle...easily
entreated...reasonable...full of mercy and good fruits...merciful...without
partiality...steadfast...without hypocrisy...sincere.
Wisdom's
consequences are "the fruit of righteousness." Purity is the first
characteristic, and James underscores its priority. Originally, it meant freedom
from ceremonial defilement, but it came to include much more than that. It is
used of the purity of God Himself! “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it
doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear,
we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath
this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure,” I John 2-3.
In
the context of the discussion, it implies freedom from anything that would
contaminate or soil one's integrity. I found a great illustration for this
meaning. There lives, in the forests of northern Europe and Asia, a little
animal called the “ermine.” It is known for its snow-white fur, the most
beautiful fur in the world. In some countries, the state robes of judges are
lined with it as emblematic of purity and honor. Ladies of means prize coats
for their beauty and warmth. The “ermine,” it seems, takes a peculiar pride in
its white coat and goes to great lengths to avoid soiling it. It is said that
some fur hunters have taken advantage of this fact to capture the “ermine.”
Instead of setting a trap, they find its home, a cleft in the rock or a hollow
tree, and daub the entrance with FILTH. Then the dogs start the chase. Sounds
like our day!!!
Frightened, the “ermine” flees to its home,
its place of refuge. Finding it daubed with uncleanness, rather than soil its
pure white coat, it faces the yelping dogs and is captured by the hunters, preserving the purity of its fur at the price of its life.
The “ermine” is right: purity is more precious than life (this life). "...The wisdom that is from above is first pure...” James 3:17. With all the evil and corruption in our world, I pray that we will be like the little “ermine” and remember that staying pure is more precious and valuable than our own life. Jesus is coming for a Bride that has no spots or blemishes in her wedding gown...pure and white...unspotted by this world's filthy sin…"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure." We Shall Be Like Him!
