Pentecost 17, Year B
Lissa Wray Beal

Proverbs 31:10-31; Psalm 1; James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a; Mark 9:30-37 

Who is wise and understanding among you? This is the question our epistle asks today.

Do you consider yourself wise?

Who is wise? What is wisdom? Can we pursue it? Learn it? What does it look like when we encounter it?

And whose wisdom? We live in a world where outrage is expressed when Cecil the lion is illegally lured from his wildlife sanctuary and killed for trophy, and a world where the small toddler body of a drowned refugee sparks similar outrage – who decides which of these calls for the greater outrage? Where is wisdom in the face of these and other senseless acts?

Our readings for several weeks have been asking after wisdom. We have heard of Lady Wisdom, calling those who listen to seek after her. We have heard of the “law of the LORD” being perfect and enlightening the eyes with wisdom. We have explored the wisdom of Proverbs.

Today, we are given glimpses of wisdom. And clues to what it might look like in our own lives.

Psalm 1, known as a wisdom psalm for its contrasting picture of the righteous and the wicked, shows a life of wisdom:

  • Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law they meditate day and night.

Now, we are not talking here about a legalist when we say this individual delights in the “law of the LORD.” This “law” is better translated as “instruction.” For this Old Testament person, it would have been the whole of Genesis-Deuteronomy: the stories, the poems, the promises as well as the legal sections. All of this was the “law/instruction of the LORD.” This individual was not focused on keeping rules, but on hearing a long story: a story of God’s love for, and rescue of, his people.

This wise person is engrossed in the story. Like the individual who regularly reads/watches Lord of the Rings, or some other favourite story, this individual can’t wait to read and consider God’s story once again. This is the one who “delights in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night.”

And we should also note that this description of a wise individual is not describing one who is naïve, although we might wrongly think so. Why? Because the psalm begins, “Happy are those who. . . delight in the instruction of the LORD. . . in all that they do, they prosper.” Happy? Does this mean that, if you simply focus on God’s story, delighting in his instruction, then life will go well for you at all times? Not at all!

Scripture knows of many wise, godly people who “delight in the instruction of the LORD, and who do not prosper – at least if we consider prospering to be personal wealth, or security. People like Job whose family dies. Jeremiah – who serves God and ends up in prison, kidnapped and forceably deported. Sarah, Rebekah, Hannah – who served God but who lived many years without the children they desired.

The “happiness” this psalm talks about does not require blindness to the sadness or disappointment of life. It is, rather, the idea of “blessedness” or “contentment deep within” that is described by this word “happy.” This psalm describes the individual who delights in God’s instruction and in that, experiences a deep contentment; a centredness on the goodness and presence of God.

A few years ago, my husband and I travelled to the great cathedral city of Chartres, France. In the cathedral of Chartres, a medieval labyrinth is inlaid into the floor. We actually planned our trip so as to be there on a Friday. Usually, the labyrinth it is covered with chairs; on Fridays, it is uncovered. We wanted to walk that labyrinth. So, on the appointed Friday, we arrived to experience what we had long anticipated. As we entered the church, we were greeted by a very loud, very unpleasant BAAAAGHHRRR!!! On this one Friday, they were doing repairs to the massive pipe organ. All the cathedral was filled with the noise of air forced through pipes in the most unpleasant – disturbing – sound! Not exactly the atmosphere for a leisurely, contemplative walk through a labyrinth! We were both disappointed. But, we had made the trip especially for this, so we began the walk. Noise. Confusion. Discord accompanied us the whole way. But something unexpected and telling happened: as we walked the labyrinth, seeking to enter and enjoy an experience under conditions we had not expected, we began to experience a contentment in the midst of confusion and discord, and (even) our disappointment. The rhythm of the labyrinth set in place, our minds were free to centre on Christ. In the midst of the noise and confusion, he spoke to us in profound ways. It was the best labyrinth walk I have ever completed.

It is this kind of centredness that is the source of the life of wisdom. It is out of such reflection upon God – even in the midst of the disappointments, challenges, and sadness of life - that good things come: fruit from a tree planted deeply by “streams of living water.” Knowing a rich resource that cannot be shaken by the unplanned and unexpected disappointments, challenges, or defeats of life.

What is a life of wisdom? It is a life whose centre is God; whose meditation is God’s story. There is a deep blessedness in that meditation. There is “prosperity” in it – the “prosperity” of a life lived richly in the one true story. That life – like a deeply planted tree – can face storm and distress – but it is not blown over.

The wise life is a centred life.

But the life of wisdom is also a life that produces fruit. Psalm 1 says that the centred, wise life is like a tree “producing fruit in its season.” This is a reminder that wisdom does produce fruit, just where it is planted. And this is where the Proverbs 31
passage helps us.

Now – I need to talk quickly here to the ladies! I know what it is like to sit in the pew when this passage is preached! For the woman of Proverbs 31 seems to be Super Woman. Martha Stewart on steroids. Her house is always spick-and-span. Food always nicely prepared. She makes her family’s clothes by hand (after spinning the fabric). She is a gardener, entrepreneur, vintner. She’s an early-riser and a later-retirer. In her spare time she feeds the poor, and I’m sure leaps tall buildings in a single bound.

I know what it’s like when this woman is preached. We often feel beat up. Tired women go home more tired, and discouraged because they don’t measure up to this woman. And the men? They might think: this is for the women in the congregation, not the men. And I don’t know what they think about when the Proverbs 31 woman shows up: the Jets? Coffee with buddies?

But I’ll let you in on a secret: ladies – this passage is not meant to be a checklist of 101 Things a Christian Woman Should Do Every Day. And men – as scripture, this passage is speaking to you as much as it is to women!

No one – women or men – is being told by this passage to be the Proverbs 31 women. Why? Because she is not real. She is an ideal portrait. Proverbs began with Wisdom personified as a woman – offering wisdom to any who would come to her. And this Proverbs 31 woman? She is a “bookend” to the personified Lady Wisdom. Proverbs begins with personified Lady Wisdom in chs 1-9, and ends with an ideal portrait of that same Lady Wisdom.

Here is the point of the passage: if personified Lady Wisdom – perfect wisdom! – were embodied in ancient Israel, this is what she would look like!

And we – men and women – are not perfect wisdom. We are called to seek wisdom. To grow in wisdom. To walk in, and live out of, wisdom. But whatever success we might have in that; in living deeply in the centre of God’s story – we will not ourselves become Lady Wisdom, nor the full embodiment of wisdom.

So ladies – don’t let this passage guilt you out. And men – don’t blank out when this passage is read. It is scripture and speaks to the whole people of God: men and women.

Here is what it shows us: This woman is one who “fears the LORD” that is, one who knows God as Creator and reverences God. Proverbs tells us that this attitude is the beginning of wisdom. And in this passage we see this attitude lived out in many and varied ways in an individual’s own context.

You are not this ancient Israelite woman. You might not even be a woman. But whoever you are; in whatever context you find yourself, you can live out your reverence for God.

This woman had gifts and abilities, and out of her “fear of the LORD” she used those gifts for others. She made life good in whatever way she could. James says, “who is wise and understanding? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.”

James writes to the Church about wisdom, and he has the perfect example of wisdom to hold before them—an example even better than that of the Proverbs 31 woman. That example is Jesus – who lived, died, and was resurrected by the power of God. We can imagine Jesus as the perfect, righteous, wise individual of Psalm1 – fully centred in God through every moment of his life – even when that led him to the terrible death of a cross.

We can imagine him as the true human embodiment of wisdom - the Proverbs 31 woman in the flesh. He alone of all people lived his life wholly for others, giving not just his gifts, but his own life for all people.

James invites us to “submit ourselves to God;” to “draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” This is the source of wisdom: that you and I – unwise, selfish, sinful – are united by faith with Christ. His wisdom, his righteousness, his peace becomes ours.

But let me show you that wisdom in a story. It is the story of Alfie Halder, a wise man. He is a character in the Zion Covenant stories by Bodie Thoene which are set in Germany just before WWII begins. Although Alfie is 17, his mind is much younger – the mind of a child. No one would consider him wise. Because of Alfie’s so-called “deficiencies,” he is a target for Hitler’s “cleansing” policies.

Alfie is also an orphan and when Alfie’s mom was alive, she had taught him to be kind. And she had introduced him to Jesus – now, Alfie’s relationship with Jesus sustains him through lonely days and he hides from the Gestapo.

Through a series of events, Alfie ends up in Danzig, a port-town. He has managed to obtain papers that will allow him (along with other children) to ship out to England, and safety. On the day of departure, he stands with a few friends – young men and women - ship-side. He sees near him a distraught mother, clutching a tiny baby. Alfie has seen her before; he knows she is pursued by the Gestapo, and her baby is in danger. Alfie quickly makes his decision: he speaks to the woman, comforting her. Then, he takes his precious papers (allowing his safe passage) along with his identity card, and pins it to the baby’s clothes. He hands the baby to a young girl who travels with him. She takes the baby to safety. Alfie and the woman turn back into Danzig, willing to take their chances while the baby travels to
safety, and life.

Alfie – a wise man. He acts where he is, and with what he has.

Alfie’s life, centred in Christ, is one that is wise – even though Alfie’s IQ is very small. He lives out of Christ, informed and empowered by his Spirit. Alfie’s wisdom is really Christ’s wisdom; Jesus – the only truly wise man because he is the only one truly centred in God’s story – indeed the Word of that story, and its final chapter.

James asks, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.” It is not the wisdom of this world, and the world does not understand it.

It is the wisdom of God: “pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.” It is the character of Christ born in us, and living through us.