Wisdom Through Personal Integrity - James 5

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Godly Wisdom Shown Through Personal Integrity

James 3:13-18, James 5:12

On New Year’s Day, 1929, Georgia Tech played UCLA in the Rose Bowl. During that game a player for UCLA named Roy Riegels recovered a fumble. He picked up the loose ball and ran 65 yards toward goal line. Unfortunately, he had gotten confused and was headed towards the wrong end zone. One of his teammates ran him down and tackled him just before he scored for the opposing team. From that day on, Roy Riegels was known as, “Wrong Way Riegels.”

And even though we laugh about someone making an embarrassing public blunder, only to be remembered the rest of his life as the guy who ran the wrong way – I can’t help but notice that many people live their lives exactly the same way. People wander around aimlessly, or press on determined to reach their goal, totally unaware that they are going the wrong way. And I’m not necessarily talking about people “out there” in the world. The same problem affects those of us in the Church as well.

JAMES 3:13-18, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom."

James 5:12, “Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.”

Notice James starts by saying, “above all.” Volumes of commentary have been written on this phrase trying to answer the question—“where does this verse fit?” “Above all WHAT things?” Is this verse a part of the preceding verses about patience? Or does it refer to something else?

Well, it’s my opinion that in the proper context “above all” refers to everything he’s talked about so far in the whole book. James is saying that your personal integrity is above everything: above good works, above faith, above your speech, above pride - even above wisdom - all the things he’s talked about so far. By commanding us to “above all” be people of integrity, James is telling us that our personal integrity rules over every area of our life. 

Your integrity will rule over how you view the Bible. A person with no integrity will see the Bible as something to twist and contort into something that suits them or makes them feel better.

Your integrity rules over how you treat other people. A person with no integrity will show favoritism and hold themselves in judgment over others.

Your integrity rules over how you perform good works. A person with no integrity will do good works for personal recognition or for what they can get out of it.

Your integrity rules over how you use your tongue. A person with no integrity will say things to control, manipulate and condemn others.

Your integrity rules over your wisdom. A person with no integrity seeks after wisdom that is worldly and of the devil. Wisdom that only results in bitterness, envy, confusion and evil works.

Your integrity rules over your pride. A person with no integrity is selfish. They are self centered and greedy.

Not only is your individual integrity preeminent over these areas James has addressed, but it also permeates every area of life.
Let’s look a little deeper at the implications of individual integrity. Verse 12 says, “do not swear”

Now, James isn’t talking about profanity here. He’s talking about taking an oath. See, the implication of this statement really has more to do with our individual integrity than it does with whatever vows or oaths or promises we make. If you make a promise with the intention of breaking that promise, it doesn’t matter what kind of contract it’s on, it’s worthless. No matter if you’ve sworn it with the heavens and the earth as your witness. And if your promise is worthless, your word is worthless. And if your word is worthless, your integrity is worthless— “above all things.”

The implication is that if we make promises we don’t intend to keep, then we have no integrity.

So, how do we fix it? James 5:12, “Let your yes be yes, and your no, be no.”