James 3:17-18 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Reading this sounds like a description of the Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit of Truth and can there be anything more wise than truth? Maybe not, but truth and wisdom are not the same thing, now are they?

Looking closer to wisdom here, I see action and result. I know truth but I do not always handle it well. It seems that wisdom is about taking action and producing righteous results. I try and speak truth in love and find that it does not always produce a righteous outcome.

Most of the time where I go wrong is treating others as I have been treated. Mercy and grace extended to me, worked on me so it must also work on another. Perhaps, but not everyone is like me, not everyone needs to be entreated the same way every time. I look back to well-intentioned people who wanted to help but fell short of the mark. Not that their heart wasn’t in the right place but because what helped them didn’t help me. I was in a different place with different problems.

The wisdom which comes from about is much like the Spirit of Truth, it knows what to do in the moment to produce right results. Obedience of faith is doing what we are called to do and not doing what we know how to do or feel comfortable doing.

These things cannot be accomplished without a deeper personal relationship with God. He entrusts His will to those who have proven themselves faithful to Himself. Jesus proved that by spending many quiet hours alone in communion with the Father.

Matthew 26:40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

How much time do we spend watching with Jesus before our eyes become heavy?

Luke 8:35 Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

What were they afraid of here?

If you have read the story, this man was Legion, possessed of many devils. This is the story of the herd of pigs that threw themselves off a cliff into the lake and died. The report went out into the town from the men who owned the pigs. These men lost their herd.

Is it possible that the fear is directly related to fear of loss? Is it part of a sinners concern that if they should surrender to Jesus and make Him Lord, that they would lose something worldly?

This is fear of the unknown by the unlearned. This man did not own the pigs. He was living in the tombs, among the dead. When people see others come into their right mind, it is fearful for them. They don’t understand what has happened so they relate to the miracle brought by God on their own terms, in their own understanding.

When I came into my right mind the change was so dramatic some thought I had lost my mind. They were comfortable dealing with me the sinner but became fearful of the new creature who listen to God and was no longer party to their behavior. They feared they might suffer loss if they continued to hang around me. Sinners do not like to see sinners stop old behaviors. It makes them fear for themselves.

This is our first witness when we come into our right minds. They see us at the feet of Jesus and no longer hanging out with them. I was no longer hanging out with the dead. The tombs lost one of its occupants.

Nothing shakes up the dead like one of them getting up and walking out.