Sermon for Sept. 20, Pentecost Proverbs 31:10-31; Psalm 1; James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a; Mark 9:30-37 by Jim Neal

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1 Sermon for Sept. 20, Pentecost Proverbs 31:10-31; Psalm 1; James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a; Mark 9:30-37 by Jim Neal Opening Prayer: Gracious God, you have granted us wisdom. Help us to breathe in its meaning and act according to your will. Amen. This has been an interesting week for me to focus on today s lessons. Last Sunday I was inspired by the prayers and sharing at Mabel Moy s Memorial Service. Then on Monday, we drove up to Sequim and checked into a wonderful little cottage on the beach looking out at the Straight and across to Vancouver Island. We drove up to Neah Bay, walked the beaches, ate great food, and relaxed. I had time to reflect on how Wisdom theology might have played a role in my spiritual journey. This is the third Sunday that several of our lessons are from Wisdom Scripture. I have Garby and Christie to thank for exploring aspects of Lady Wisdom the past two weeks, and now I have been challenged to expand my understanding of today s readings and Wisdom theology in general. Two weeks ago, Garby stated: Lady Wisdom is here to guide us on this journey we are all on. Sometimes she supports and sometimes she counteracts the common wisdom of the day. She lives deep within each one of us, helping us to discern the truth. She is there to remind us of God's ways. Even though only a few books of the Bible (Job, Ecclesiastes, and Proverbs in the Old Testament; and the Epistle of James in the New Testament) are referred to as Wisdom scripture, there is barely a page where she doesn't appear. Wisdom Scripture and Wisdom theology, provides insight into life decisions and ways of dealing with its problems. Several characteristics of Wisdom Scripture make it unique from the Law and Prophecy books of the Old Testament. First, it addresses the individual rather than speaking to a class of people or society in general. Second, the view of God put forth by Wisdom literature is God as Creator rather than God as Redeemer.

2 Third, wisdom simplifies religion by describing faith as born out of actions we take and decisions that we make, either wise or foolish Today s 1 st Lesson, the last Chapter of Proverbs, can be titled Ode to a Capable Wife. I thought I was sharing my new found Wisdom when I read part of it to Wilma. A capable wife who can find? She is like the ships of the merchant, she brings her food from far away. She rises while it is still night and provides food for her household. Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy. I especially like this part. Her husband is known in the city gates, taking his seat among the elders of the land. (Presumably while his wife is home working,) Was Wilma impressed with my new inspired Wisdom of her role in our marriage? She replied: You ve got to be kidding! I had forgotten about the three legged stool and was just focusing on Scripture only and not Tradition or Reason. That wasn t very wise. The relationships between husbands and wives have changed over the 2500 years since Proverbs was recorded. Women s rights (at least in America) and their place in business, politics, and shared family leadership have greatly changed (for the better). When Wilma reminded me that Reason should enlighten me, I thought maybe I could take a lesson from the 1 st verse of today s Epistle of James: Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. With this new perspective, I then read the Proverb lesson again and Wisdom spoke to me from my heart. So, I read other verses to Wilma. A capable wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. 2

3 3 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. Her children rise up and call her happy; her husband too, and he praises her: "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all." Then Wilma fixed my breakfast. The next morning, I sat on the deck and reflected on how Wisdom Theology is (or is not) present in my life. Our home of nearly 20 years is nestled in the woods, surrounded by large cedar and big leaf maple trees. I see the birds active on our feeder and the squirrels and chipmunks searching for the dropped seeds on the ground. The other day we saw an owl sitting on our garden fence. My uncle once said, You can t see the view for the trees. When I look out through the woods, I see life, I see peace, and I see creation. For me that is a source of Wisdom. An environment where I can breathe deep and reflect on tasks to be done. Trees have taken on a new meaning for me through our study of Celtic Theology; on the wall next to my desk I have this picture of the Tree of Life. It is fed by the sun and the earth. Its branches reach up into the sky and its roots reach down into the earth so that every living thing, every creature is connected. An example of Celtic Wisdom. Next to this Tree of Life picture is a poem by Shel Silverstein that my granddaughter, Quinn, gave me for my birthday this summer: Hug of War I will not play at Tug o War. I d rather play at Hug o War. Where everyone hugs Instead of tugs, Where everyone giggles And rolls on the rug. Where everyone kisses, And everyone grins, And everyone cuddles, And everyone wins.

4 4 An example of an 8-year-old s Wisdom. Next, I reflected on the cover of the service bulletin for Mabel Moy s Celebration of Life: This is what she believed: God s Creation is a friendly place. Stay away from negative energy. Be positive. Avoid should and ought words. Listen to God s Spirit. The universe is good and God is there. An example of an 81-year-old s Wisdom. Simple to read, but a challenge for me to implement. So what am I going to do with all these new sources of wisdom? As this sermon evolved, I realized Mabel s belief statements spoke most directly to me. So, I resolve to live into this idea of Wisdom theology in my daily life. First, I am going to increase my awareness that I gain peace and spirituality from creation, from nature and the environment. We are blessed with so much beauty in this place we call home. In Mabel s words, God s creation is a friendly place; the universe is good and God is there. Secondly, I will also continue to grow closer to God and through scripture I will be more aware of the presence of Christ in my life. To me, Jesus provides a living example of how I should bring wisdom into my daily activities and how I relate to others as I grow in His presence. I will stay away from negative energy and be positive. Thirdly, through meditation and prayer I will Listen to God s Spirit. Come Holy Spirit, speak to me; open my mind and my heart; be present in all that I do. As I think of my disposition to take on more tasks than I should, I am struggling with Mabel s last belief: Avoid should and ought words, and yet when I reflect on Mabel s life, maybe this is what made her so inspirational. She didn t focus on should and ought tasks, she lived her life as she felt inspired and as the spirit spoke to her.

5 5 And, of course, I will try live more fully into the knowledge that my wife, Wilma, is more precious than jewels. Amen.