Today we will look at the last quality of Heaven Wisdom, as laid out in James 3:17.

Heavenly Wisdom is first of all,

pure,

then peace loving

sweetly reasonable,

approachable and submissive,

full of mercy,

and good works,

impartial

and SINCERE.

The word “sincere” in Greek means “without wax.”  This comes from the practice of potters in the first century to trick their customers with wax. If a pot cracked in the firing process, the potter would fill the crack with wax, then smear some clay over it,  disguising the crack. Then when the customer put something hot in the pot, the wax melted and all the liquid leaked out.

So to be sincere is to be what you appear to be, no faking it,  no hidden cracks, no secret sins, always being genuine.

As you well know, most people have a public face and a private face—land sometimes the contrast is shocking. Like the man I once met who was a respected deacon in his church, while he was sexually abusing his daughters over a long period of time. Hopefully we don’t have such a large gap between what we pretend to be and what we really are. In fact, the closer our inside and outside characters are, the more useful, honored and effective we will be for Jesus.

To be sincere is wise, and completes the beautiful qualities of Heavenly wisdom. The person  who asks for, takes up and loves Heavenly Wisdom is a person beautiful in Christ, in Truth, in every situation.

I would encourage you to memorize these qualities in James 3:17 and “pray them on” every day. "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5.

Picture: Wise young man, keeping the cross central and the needs of the world before him.