Counter Wisdom - June 6
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 56, 57, [58]; PM Psalm 64, 65; Eccles. 7:1-14; Gal. 4:12-20; Matt. 15:21-28
Life is not easy. We all know this individually, but it does help to be reminded from time to time. I’m surprised at the allure of tricks or hacks that are designed to make life simpler and yet rarely do we get at the root of own issues. As a pastor, it is amazing to me how together most people at church try to present their lives. Many clergy wonder if people disappear when life begins to fall apart. Or maybe that is preciously when the Church can be the Church, but it is too uncomfortable for the uncovering of our fragile human lives. The pressure of not having it together like the person on the next pew appears too much.
I suspect that we too anticipate the Bible to be full of practice wisdom such as to be kind, forgive, give to charity, don’t lie, cheat or steal. This wisdom is simplistic and commonsense and mostly true. I suspect life is better when we follow this conventional wisdom, but there are limitations to this wisdom. What happens when we are not kind, struggle to forgive, lie or cheat, or God-forbid, worse? If this is the only wisdom of the church, we might feel judged, even in a place that offers grace and forgiveness as the ultimate ethic, the standards of the virtuous life can seem too much.
This is why the counter wisdom of Ecclesiastes can be such good news. “Sorrow is better than laughter (v.3), it is better to go to the house of mourning (v.2), it is better to hear the rebuke of the wise (v.5), better is the end of a thing than its beginning (v.8) are all offerings of advice that we do not expect to hear and yet offer a balance to conventional common-sense wisdom of the world. Our pericope is wrapped up “On the day of prosperity be joyful, and on the day of adversity consider; God has made the one as well as the other, so that mortals may not find out anything that will come after them (v.14).” What good news to be reminded that God is a part of it all!
The goal of a faithful life isn’t a prosperous career, joy, happiness, or the attainment of status. The goal of a faithful life is the trust and confidence to see God in all things, in all places, and at all times. This is even more true when things don’t go our way.
John+
Questions for Self-Reflection: What unconventional wisdom have you discovered in your life?
Daily Challenge: Read slowly the passage from Ecclesiastes. Consider what is most challenging and what is helpful. If interested, consider spending time in the whole book. You can begin here.