Wisdom Gives Us Ground Rules for Growing and Relating in a Time of Transition

This week a friend of mine pointed James 3:17 out to me. I hadn't read this portion for awhile and I was struck afresh with the contrast that James makes between earthly wisdom and wisdom from God. He speaks of this in the context of the power of the tongue to bless and to curse. After stressing that earthly wisdom is contentious and jealous, James goes on to give a beautiful description of what the 'wisdom from on high' is like. Below are several versions/paraphrases of this verse, and I have highlighted the various descriptive words used for wisdom:

NET: But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable,  gentle,  accommodating,  full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and not hypocritical.  

ESV: ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 

HCSB: ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy.
 
TLB: ¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure and full of quiet gentleness. Then it is peace-loving and courteous. It allows discussion and is willing to yield to others; it is full of mercy and good deeds. It is wholehearted and straightforward and sincere.  

MSG: ¹⁷ Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced.  

NRSV: ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.  

YLT: ¹⁷ and the wisdom from above, first, indeed, is pure, then peaceable, gentle, easily entreated, full of kindness and good fruits, uncontentious, and unhypocritical.

In today's climate of change and paradigm shifts, this passage provides us with a great set of 'ground rules' for growing and relating with one another as we work through differences of views. May we desire and seek for God's wisdom as we would for hidden treasure (Prov 2) and therein grow in our understanding of God and of one another together.