When you were a kid did you ever play with one of those paddles with the ball on an elastic string? I don't know how many times i got going with one of those and the ball would come back and hit me in the eye. These toys take talent!
Imagine my joy when my Monday morning Bible study read this in Proverbs:
Like tying a stone in a sling
is the giving of honor to a fool. (26:8)
It's like America's Funniest Videos, the guy who actually ties the rock to his sling shot and then wonders why it hits him in the face. Who knew it was Biblical?!?
Actually our study of Proverbs has been pretty interesting thus far. There are many themes that run throughout the book. We discuss the power of wisdom and just how we may obtain it. The images that Proverbs placed in our minds often get us laughing, but usually we agree that they are right on target even for today. Just think about these:
A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. (26:15)
If you find honey, eat just enough—
too much of it, and you will vomit.
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—
too much of you, and they will hate you. (25:16-17)
Better to live on a corner of the roof
than share a house with a quarrelsome wife. (25:24)
Some of you may offer up an "AMEN!" for that last one, and I pray that none of you are sitting on the corner of the roof tonight.
I have been pondering the role of wisdom in our lives. It seems that it's importance has diminished as culture has changed. The prominence of family proverbs, handed down from generation to generation has been affected by the prevalence of divorce and broken family structures. We are learning about wisdom from reality television shows...that is scary! Maybe this is one of the places where the importance of the church has grown. In a society where being busy and rushed reign, the church offers us that time to stop and sit and be as we worship together. It's the place where we talk about tradition and ritual and where we share the meal of the Eucharist. The church can really be a powerful witness to the power of wisdom...especially when keep the main thing, the main thing.
Rather than expounding on the songs we sing (or don't sing), more important than the way the chairs are set-up, or the strength of the coffee...the church offers us a place to learn from those who came before us while also teaching us the importance of listening to the smallest children in our midst. God's wisdom is poured out upon us when we gather. That's pretty powerful, and very exciting.
I believe the God still entrust the church as a vehicle for the redemption of the world. Do we trust the church? How can we reclaim the power of wisdom and its ability to create peace?
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