Today's Readings

Proverbs 31.10-31, James 3.13 - 4.3,7-8a and Mark 9.30-37

“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”

“Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.”

“Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”

One sentence from each of our three readings for today. So that gave me a bit of a clue as to what I should preach about this morning.

Our first reading is from the Book of Proverbs, part of the wisdom literature within the Bible. Twenty two verses dedicated to expounding the attributes of the perfect wife. However, it is not a definitive description to be used in all places and at all times. It is the derived wisdom of its time based on the information available in the context in which it was written. Some of it applies only to the Eastern Mediterranean of nearly three thousand years ago.

Some of it applies to the world of today. Some of it applies to all of us, not just wives. Just about every member of society is mentioned; husband, children, merchants, poor, needy and then, with two verses to go, God is mentioned in the line “a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Many of the values she is credited with are infused into her work. Everything she makes possesses quality and strength. It is made to last. A lesson for the consumer society of today. Everything she does is for the good of others, her husband, her children and the society in which she lives. Her reputation within that society comes from them, it is not something that she seeks.

James also talks about characteristics and values that are born of wisdom. He attributes them to two sources. They are either earthly or heavenly. The earthly context in which people live will dictate the values that we absorb and we will think that they are born of wisdom. Because of the busy world that we live in, and the busy lives that we lead there is a constant deluge of information which we absorb and then have to sort into that which is good and to be retained and that which is bad and has to be rejected.

As Christians we are aided in this decision making process by heavenly wisdom. Our biggest challenge is acquiring that heavenly wisdom because we need to find time to seek it out and listen to it while we are constantly being exposed to the sights, sounds and smells of everyday life. We need to find the opposite. We need to find a time of peace and quiet where we can open our hearts and minds to the will of God, the one who knows what is truly important in the world.

That peace and quiet is hard to find. It doesn’t happen on an ordinary Sunday morning.

We catch up socially before and after the service and our worship is made up of an hour of constant liturgy and music with, at most, a few moments silence during our intercessions. Church is a great place to come and sit and think, but it is also a wonderful place to just listen for the words and wisdom of God to enter our hearts and minds. One thing I was taught during my training is if you see someone sat alone in church do not automatically go up to them and ask if you can help in any way because you just might get the reply “God and I were doing just fine thank you, until you interrupted.” The other place that God really enjoys being and where I often find him is in the great outdoors surrounded by the wonders of his creation.

Where else do we find the wisdom of God?

In our Gospel reading from Mark he is there in the person of Jesus Christ surrounded by his disciples. The passing on of that wisdom has been a continuing process right from the start of his ministry. But as Mark is continually pointing out, the disciples of Jesus are not the quickest or brightest of thinkers in responding to his words of wisdom. In last week’s reading from chapter eight of the Gospel, Jesus begins to talk about his betrayal, death and resurrection. Peter responds by saying we won’t let that happen to which Jesus responds by chastising Peter and telling the disciples they will have to take up their own cross.

This week in chapter nine we see the same form of words repeated. Jesus talks about what will happen to him.

The disciples fail again to understand and Jesus uses a small child to show them the direction and style that their discipleship should be modelled on. They say if a thing is worth saying once, it is worth saying twice. In the case of Jesus and his disciples he will have to repeat himself for the third time in chapter ten to try and get his words to mean something to them.

One reason they are failing to pick up on the wisdom Jesus is trying to impart is the earthly demands and pressures that surround them. They are more engrossed in a discussion about who is the greatest among themselves than in discussing what the words of Jesus might mean not just to them but everyone else who may choose to follow him. Jesus uses a small child to try and show them the weakness in their earthly wisdom where they are trying to rank themselves in accordance with earthly values (standing, authority, wealth, power) whereas what matters is that we should treat each other in accordance with heavenly values, the gifts of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control).

In the criteria that the disciples were using to measure each other the child sat on Jesus’ lap has no standing at all. They would not even make the bottom rung of the ladder. Jesus says forget all that. To welcome this child and all others in society who lack prestige and standing into your company and your discipleship is also welcoming me into your presence. But wait, it is even more than that. You are welcoming the one who sent me, the Lord God almighty.

This morning in church we are gathered together as a group of 21^st Century disciples. We have access to the wisdom of the modern world presently at arm’s length outside that door unless you count the IT lurking here at the front. When we emerge from church, wisdom of the modern world will be incessant and available 24/7. We also have access to the wisdom of God but we have to go out of our way to make time to seek it out and absorb it. There is good in both the world and in God.

Let us pray this morning for the discernment to identify the good wherever we find it, the wisdom to embrace it into our discipleship and the grace to share it in love and kindness with one and all.

Amen.