Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. James 3:13
A course in public speaking teaches that to be a persuasive speaker one must instill confidence in his audience. When we hear a discussion of a controversial topic it is often difficult to determine who is telling the truth because the delivery is so convincing. In this chapter James has been discussing the damage that can be done by how we speak and the importance of carefully choosing our words. As he continues in this verse he extends that thought to include our actions as well as our words, which is the correct interpretation of the word conversation.
If we are to be considered truly wise, knowledge and persuasion are not sufficient. It becomes necessary to show in every aspect of our lives the truth of the Gospel that we believe, in all meekness and humility. Instead of envy, hypocrisy and conflict, our lives must reflect an attitude of purity, peace, patience and mercy. A humble life is more convincing than persuasive words.
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