13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
I think this kind of wisdom comes when we fail in our own strength and come to rely on the Lord. When we fail, it knocks the pride right out of us, at least at that moment. That is why failing can be a good thing. We need to have our self pride deflated. We need to have a proper view of our own strengths and weaknesses. We need God’s view of us. He knows that we are but dust. We need to know this as well. In recent weeks several sudden deaths and serious illnesses have again brought to my attention just how fragile life really is. Something as small as the head of a pin can end a life. A split second decision moves you out of the way of a speeding car. Leaving a room for a few moments allows a child to drown in the tub. Our lives are fragile. We want to think that we are invincible. The military depends on this mentality in its 18-24 year olds. They have to fearlessly charge ahead in the middle of horrifying danger. They have to feel invincible, or they would never do what is needed to protect this country. But the IEDs hidden along the road don’t give them a chance to be courageous. There is no chance to face the enemy and defeat him. There is just the coward on the other end of a cell phone. Humility is a good thing. It recognizes our limitations and takes them into account. Humility balances out our weaknesses. Humility gives God space to fill us with His strength. Our lives are to be lives of service to others, good deeds. There is a very practical nature to Believers. You can see their faith demonstrated in their acts of service to others done in humility. They don’t want credit or recognition for what they do, they just want to do the Lord’s will.
The Arnold Journey 