Proper 25, Year B

Holy Wisdom

Readings: Proverbs 31:10-31; Psalm 1; James 3:13-18; Mark 9:30-37

A theme throughout the readings this week is that of wisdom. “Who is wise and understanding among you?” asks James. It is a challenge to all of us. We can claim to be wise. We can reiterate the adage that wisdom comes with age. We can look at the successes of our lives and claim that it is proof that we are wise. But it needs to be demonstrated in our lives. James asks that we show it by acting with humility and goodness. That is certainly not wisdom in the eyes of the world. Society promotes getting ahead. It is ambition that is rewarded, not humility. We speak about “keeping up with the Joneses”. Remember Avis’ old ads about being in second place to Hertz. Even that second place message is based on obtaining power over our competitors.

To be wise in the ways of God calls us to something quite different. It calls us to gentleness, compassion, humility and peace making. Godly wisdom teaches us that it is not about gaining power over others, nor does it lie in ambition, but rather it becomes evident in our striving to be God like. True wisdom will show itself in our lives. It will bring us closer to God. It will be shown in our quality of life, in the life giving decisions we make, in the good that we do.

It is certainly what Jesus emulated to the disciples. Jesus is at home in Galilee. The disciples are sitting at his feet. As they had been walking home they had been arguing about who was the most important. All this was happening as Jesus was explaining to them that he was going to die.

“What were you discussing?” he asks them. Suddenly no one has anything to say. They are quite rightly embarrassed. They have been caught out. Jesus has been talking about the kingdom of God. It is a new concept for them. They are finding it difficult to put into their context. They see it from their worldview. They visualize a kingdom in which the present powers are toppled and replaced with a new order with Jesus in control. They see Jesus’ mission in political terms within a hierarchical structure. It is perfectly logical. It is what they have experienced. And they see themselves assuming political roles in this new kingdom.

We get it, don’t we? They are being very human. As humans we spend time and energy disputing who among us should be considered the greatest? Is it the clergy or the laity? Is it the husband or the wife? And our educational system encourages competition based on marks rather than on learning. Children are taught from an early age to take part in sports activities, not primarily for the enjoyment of the game or for its physical benefits, but in order to win. We go through strikes which pit labour against management and leave us with the message that making more money is everything. Politics is the biggest offender with its smear campaigns that assault one another on a personal level. Advertising is big business. It encourages cutthroat competition at any cost. Competition and winning have become the primary religion of our increasingly secular lives.

But Jesus points out that he has come to preach quite a different message. “The first must be last,” he tells them, “The servant of all.” He is not judging their behaviour. He is teaching them how to achieve true greatness. He is explaining the essence of greatness. He gives them a practical illustration of what he means. He hears some children playing outside. He opens the door and calls out to one of them. He brings the child into their midst. The little boy stands there nervously shuffling his bare feet, his hands dirty, his nose running. Jesus puts his arm around the little tyke and draws him closer. The little one, welcoming the attention climbs up on Jesus lap. “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me,” Jesus says to them.

It must have been quite a shock to them. This is the kind of child no one takes seriously, a street urchin, the lowest level of humanity. Even in our modern day world children often do not count for much. And here is Jesus saying that true greatness is achieved not by holding great offices, but by doing services to insignificant people such as this little child.

We can think of times that such service has brought a smile to our faces. The sense of trust as a child puts a small hand into yours. A toddler’s first tentative steps towards you, arms reaching out for support. A lost child’s frightened cry replaced with a smile as you help find her family. Consider whether you would feel the same if the child were a street urchin on the streets of Calcutta, or a slum child living in the dump outside of Kingston in Jamaica.

Greatness lies in servanthood. It consists of service. As Christians we are called to live out our lives in a spirit of humility and service. But if you are anything like I am, that is not always easily lived out. It is easy to say that we are called to serve the poor, the disenfranchised, the oppressed. But it is difficult to overcome our own perceptions of people. There was a shocking story in the paper last week about a bus driver in Toronto who refused to allow some children on his school bus simply because they were Roma, Gypsies. One of the little children refused entry to the bus was in tears as he explained that he could not even think about going to that “white” school after what had happened. I know that I can find examples in my own life. They have made me wiser in the ways of God.

Growing up in an inner city rectory, it was our job as children to make and dispense sandwiches and coffee to the many street people who came to the door for assistance. Many of them were ‘regulars’ whom we got to recognize. We saw their ragged clothing. We smelled the liquor on their breath. We labeled them. They were bums. We did give some of our favourites nicknames. There was Rudolph and Pinhead. It never occurred to us, or at least to me, that they were people with names and feelings and heartbreaking stories. We thought we were doing the ‘Christian’ thing. And in our own way we were.

When I worked in urban ministry while I was studying Theology at Trinity I was able to draw on those early experiences and find ways to reach out to the street people in a way which did not devalue them as people. I learned not to judge them. I listened to their stories. I learned their names, their real names. It took me a while to realize what real ministry it was. I kept thinking that I should be giving them something. What I came to realize was that in seeing them as people, in seeking Christ in them, I became a far more effective proclaimer of the gospel than I had ever been. In giving service to them I received so many blessings.

This past summer I bumped into a friend downtown. We sat on a park bench to get caught up. No sooner had we sat down that a couple of street people headed in our direction. “They are going to hit us up for money,” I thought to myself. “I wonder how Al will react.” To my delight he greeted them warmly and introduced them to me by name. We had a conversation about the weather. After they left he told me about getting to know them. He helped them from time to time with a meal or a place to stay. But their relationship was not about what he had to give them. It was a relationship built on mutual respect and friendship.

The whole notion of exercising leadership by serving seems paradoxical. But there really is no contradiction. It is true wisdom. There can be no real exercise of authority without service. Service lies in taking sides with those whom we would serve. We must continue to ask ourselves searching questions about our how we live out our faith. Are we living out the gospel message in our ministry in the church? In the life of our congregation? In our own lives? Who are we called to serve?

Jesus’ answer to the disciples speaks to us. Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven? Who are the wisest? The answer of course is those who mirror Christ, those who give humble service to others.