23 September 2012
Proverbs 31:10-31; James 3:13-4:3; Mark 9:30-37
We have
known it was coming for quite some time. We can feel it, like a steady change
in altitude that we can feel in our ears. I find, that like Pavlov’s dogs
salivating at the sound of the bell, I have been conditioned to dread the
approach of November elections. It is the season of bitter squabbles on
television and radio, billboards and web sidebars. I reflexively start my
engine and tune into NPR, and suddenly I feel like I’m trapped in the car with
quarrelsome children… except they are not children, they are petulant adults, each
one trying to convince me that the other is stupid. Not just stupid, but
dangerously stupid enough to be thrown out of the car.
The
democratic ideal is that the people rule. We the people, if we are to rule, we
must be engaged in a process of discernment, make reasoned decisions, and cast
responsible votes. Who among us is wise? Which candidates have the wisdom to
lead us?
It is a
tremendous responsibility, which I believe most people take seriously. Some of
us take it so seriously we become sick with anxiety. How do we prove ourselves
faithful citizens without going mad, in this season of madness?
Sometimes I
think the best thing to do is turn off the radio. Turn off the TV. Stop reading
the blogs, columns, or letters that we know will just whip us into a frothy
anger. That anger, that anxiety, that stress is not helping us make reasoned
decisions.
Instead, we
should use that time to meditate. I am serious! Try this. It is a prescription
for your spiritual health from your spirit-doctor: take 10 minutes that you
would ordinarily spend watching the morning news program, and meditate on this
final chapter of Proverbs. Do the same at night. Ten minutes in the morning,
ten minutes before you sleep. From now until election day, give it at least
that. Because this passage tells us what wisdom looks like, it may just help us
to discern who among us is wise.
Wisdom
opens her hands to the poor, and reaches out to the needy.
Wisdom
prepares employment for her servants, but also labors alongside them. Wisdom is
not too proud to take on the task of the servant.
Wisdom is a
house-holder, which in Greek is the same word for economist. Wisdom is an
economist who provides food, clothing, and shelter for all her household, not
just herself, not just her husband, not just her children. Wisdom provides for
everyone, the whole economy.
The capable
woman is the personification of wisdom. Imagine a world run by capable women.
Some of them might even be men. In most of the Scriptures, we women, we have
imagine ourselves as generic men. All that “mankind,” man this and man that,
him, his. Well fellas, the table is turned in this one scripture, and you get
to imagine yourselves as generic women. Now do you understand all the fuss
about inclusive language? Do you get it? Imagine the world run by capable
women, generically speaking--- a world run by people who are the embodiment of wisdom.
If proverbs
doesn’t provide enough material for your meditation, turn to James. We know all
too well that every candidate claims to be wise. But oftentimes they are simply
clever. Knowing. Shrewd. Confounding. Manipulative. That is not what James
would call “wisdom from above.” Look to see who is gentle. Merciful. Willing to
yield. Who is a peacemaker.
Finally,
look to the gospel. The simplest test of all: The one who would be first of all
must be a servant of all. Jesus placed a child in the midst of them. See this
picture on the bulletin cover of this beautiful child? That is a child who has
just come out of the tub! No dirt, no scabs, no nose ickies— any of us
intimately familiar with parenthood know that this picture is not an entirely
honest depiction of this child. Your typical child looks like that for about 5
minutes after bath time. Then he or she is back to their normally runny-nosed
self. The child Jesus picked up probably looked like any child who spent the
day outdoors without adult supervision. The one who welcomes that child-- the
orphaned, naked, street urchin-- that is
the one who is worthy to be our first among all.
May God bless
these days of discernment. May God grant us wisdom, and courage, and may God
grant us peace. Amen.
