“Listen to instruction and do not disdain wisdom.”  Proverbs 8

“Where is the wise? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”  St. Paul in 1 Corinthians

“It’s better than a sharp stick in the eye.”  Ralph L. Patrick

Wisdom.  There appears to be a paucity of it in the public space these days.  As proof, consider for a moment who you think of as wise.  What person comes to mind? 

Is it a present-day politician?  HIGHLY unlikely.  “Abraham Lincoln, where are you?” 

Is it a public celebrity?  Does Taylor Swift, LeBron James, or, in the spirit of the current World Cup competition, Lionel Messi top your list?

How about a pundit on one of the news outlets?  NOPE! 

Maybe there is someone else in this country, your community, or your congregation?  With that last one I feel I’m getting closer.  There are some wise men and women in the church I attend—though as I reflect upon it, I can think of others in previous congregations that I’ve considered real fools. 

Where is the wise man or woman these days?  Who comes to mind for you?

I’m thinking of my father.  Maybe because we just observed Father’s Day.  Dad, who died too young at the age of 62, was very wise—though I failed to appreciate it fully.  I confess that I’m guilty of what Mark Twain said about his father;  Something like “When I was 15 I thought my dad was the dumbest man in the world.  When I was 25 I was amazed at how much he had learned in those ten years.” 

As I reflect back on the time I had with my dad I realize in retrospect just how wise he was.  Not with “book learning”, or the kind of “knowledge” that seems to be gained and garnered off Google these days, gleaning bits and pieces of mostly useless information off the internet.  No, dad had a different kind of wisdom.  The kind gained from life lessons, many of which were learned the hard way.  “The school of hard knocks” I think it was called.  Growing up poor, living through The Depression, serving in the military, providing for a family during the days when you had to grow or shoot your own food, making a living by the sweat of his brow as a farmer and day laborer.   Dad was a wise man.  How I wish I would’ve appreciated that wisdom, and tapped into his vast life knowledge during the many challenging times that I faced following his death.  I believe I would’ve made some drastically different decisions.  Can’t think too much about that.  As dad used to say, “It’s all water under the bridge.”

The book of Proverbs in the bible is all about wisdom. It is the recorded sayings of Solomon, purportedly one of the wisest rulers of Israel.  It begins, not surprisingly, by saying  My son, listen to the instruction of your father.” It would behoove a person to take time to read small portions and meditate upon those rich passages found therein.   I think I might start doing that. 

And then there’s Jesus.  Jesus was a wisdom teacher.  I am reminded of that as I read through a book recently given to me entitled “The Wisdom Jesus” by Cynthia Bourgeault.  I was taught that Jesus was a “prophet, priest, and king.”  Never learned in the seminary from professors who were educated and knowledgeable theologians, proof of it being the letters behind their names, that Jesus was also, maybe even primarily, a wisdom teacher.  Many of His teachings turn conventional wisdom on its head. 

Consider as a prime example, the first teaching recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, often called “The Sermon on the Mount.”  It begins with The Beatitudes.  Nine pithy proclamations that sound quite impractical to modern Christian ears.  But they read almost like koans.  Taking the time to carefully consider them, and then making it a point to attempt living by them, would lead a person away from the foolishness of this world and into greater wisdom.

I’ve been watching more closely the “older folks” that are part of my community and congregation.  To some extent I’m evaluating them on how they are aging.  Curiously, some are kind of curmudgeonly.  Others seem to be a curiosity, still clinging and maybe even chasing the illusion of youth and the evasiveness of glamour and success, so valued in our society, but which gradually slip away.  But other older folks, not many but some, seem to be aging in a way that values wisdom.  They aren’t pursuing it, but seemingly gently sliding into it.  Embracing it.  Even more, embodying it.  Pause.  Some are coming to mind.  I hope I can do the same.  How about you?