“But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.” (James 3:17­­–18 NLT)

Yesterday we looked at four qualities of God’s wisdom that make it so powerful: its purity, its peace loving nature, its gentleness, and its willingness to yield to others. Here are four more qualities of His wisdom that have the potential to change your life.

First, the wisdom that comes from God is full of mercy. God is merciful to us. He shows us love, compassion, and kindness, even though we don’t deserve it. He forgives us when we do wrong. He chooses not to punish us, although He has every right to.

And He instructs us to do the same for others. Mercy transforms relationships. If you forgive your spouse or loved one as God has forgiven you, you won’t hold grudges. You won’t bring up past offenses. You’ll choose not to punish, even if you believe you have a right to. Instead, you’ll look for ways to show love, compassion, and kindness—qualities that build trust, strengthen relationships, and help them grow.

Second, the wisdom that comes from God is the fruit of good deeds. It isn’t theoretical; it’s practical. It’s more than a theological concept; it’s a useful strategy for living your best life and forging your best relationship. It isn’t words; it’s deeds. We talked about love, compassion, and kindness as they relate to mercy. But what do they look like in action? Love looks like wrapping your spouse in a tender embrace after a conflict when everything inside you wants to distance yourself and nurse a grudge. Compassion looks like sitting with a grieving friend for hours, listening—or maybe just sitting in silence. Kindness looks like doing a household chore that your spouse dreads.

Third, the wisdom that comes from God shows no favoritism. It isn’t designed to help the rich get richer. It isn’t geared toward Type A personalities. You don’t have to be highly educated to understand it. It doesn’t encourage an “us versus them” mentality. Anyone can be transformed by it.

Fourth, the wisdom that comes from God is always sincere. Some people claim to offer wisdom when what they’re really doing is telling you what you want to hear or reinforcing what you’re already convinced of. But there’s no real wisdom in that. You can’t grow, mature, or learn in an echo chamber. Real wisdom stretches us, challenges us, and takes us out of our comfort zone.

James concludes the passage by emphasizing that God’s wisdom gives us a heart for peacemaking. That’s a valuable quality in our bickering culture. If you let God’s wisdom guide you, and if you plant seeds of peace in your interactions with other people—especially those who disagree with you—you will “reap a harvest of righteousness.” God will open doors that change not only your life, but the lives of others.

Reflection question: How can you plant seeds of peace in your relationship with someone you don’t get along with?

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