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More Wisdom, More Grief

Scripture Focus: Ecclesiastes 1.18
18 For with much wisdom comes much sorrow;
     the more knowledge, the more grief.

Reflection: More Wisdom, More Grief
By Erin Newton

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov 9.10). On the first steps of wisdom’s path, we learn about who God is and who we are. We begin to understand our faults and shortcomings paired with his unfailing mercy and grace. Our sins are laid bare, and we accept the free gift of grace from Jesus Christ.

We are made into a new creation, building upon the foundation blocks of wisdom. With eyes that now see the foolishness of our former lives, we begin to seek the Scriptures to learn more about who God is and who we are. Wisdom’s path leads us to discover our purpose in life and calling within the world.

Wisdom also reveals to us the complexity of the world. Our friends and neighbors are not merely companions or coworkers—we see them as image bearers of our God. The bonds of humanity tie our hearts with theirs. We learn to share their joys and bear their pains.

But “with much wisdom comes much sorrow.” We cannot now unsee the fallenness of creation. No longer can we look away when one human belittles another. No longer can we refuse to listen when someone cries out for help. No longer can we believe that one evil is lesser than another and somehow worthy of our admiration. We cannot pretend our actions have no negative consequences on the natural world.

Wisdom leads us to see the world as God sees it—filled with the potential of love, peace, and wholeness. However, the world is only a dim reflection of that ideal. Wisdom calls us to recognize where things have fallen short.

Just because we find wisdom does not mean we have found paradise. Our faith does not remove us from the realm of tragedy. Life, circumstantially, is not easier for a Christian than an unbeliever. Not only do we carry our own burdens, but we are aware of the needs of so many others. In this way, gaining knowledge has created increased grief.

But it is not without hope and not without a call to action. Wisdom begins with faith in God. The realities that bring us sorrow can be handled by an omnipotent God. 

Continue in wisdom. Welcome sorrow. The grief and sorrow brought by wisdom is a gift—a gift of awareness. Wisdom awakens us from the idleness of apathy.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
“Be still, then, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.” — Psalm 46.11

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

​Today’s Readings
Ecclesiastes 1 (Listen 2:21)
Psalm 49 (Listen 2:10)

Read more about The Promise of Proverbs is Change
It is crucial to ask, “Are we becoming people of wickedness or righteousness?” What we become can change our world.

The Promise of Proverbs is Change

Read more about Proverbs’ House of Mirrors
Do our words rhyme with God’s? Or do they stink? Would we enjoy eating them?

Proverbs’ House of Mirrors
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The Impossibility of Proverbs 31

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 31:29
29 “Many women do noble things,
     but you surpass them all.”

Reflection: The Impossibility of Proverbs 31
By Erin Newton

Growing up with Proverbs 31 as the “checklist” of being a woman felt impossible. The excellence required stood in direct opposition to the predetermined lifestyle for women set by our brothers in the faith.

  • Be productive (vv. 13-16). This woman is entrepreneurial and hardworking. Her job takes her out of the home, and she invests with financial freedom. I was told to dream only of home and let my husband decide our (or his) finances.
  • Be strong (v. 17). This woman was physically strong. Knowing her work required heavy lifting or strenuous tasks, she probably didn’t worry when her biceps bulged. I was told my body was a blessing and a curse. I should keep a “feminine” frame (be thin) to remain the weaker vessel.
  • Be talented (vv. 18-19, 22, 24). She works in agriculture and husbandry. She makes clothing and textiles—a “Jane” of all trades. I was told I could have hobbies, as long as they stood in the shadows of my role in the family. I felt like Elizabeth Bennet responding to the supposed qualifications of a woman: “I never saw such a woman. She would certainly be a fearsome thing to behold.”
  • Be a wise teacher (v. 26). She is revered for her instruction—a feature that usually only comes from extensive learning. I was told my speaking had limits and boundaries. I was accepted if it was within the walls of a classroom not a church, on a Saturday not Sunday, behind a lectern not a pulpit, called a devotional not a sermon, and under the title of teacher not pastor.
  • Be extraordinary (vv. 10, 28-29). She is so rare she can hardly be found. She is not like everyone else. She excels in every possible way. She is a rare gem and worthy of honor and praise. I was once called special and one of a kind—by another married man who was supposed to be my religious leader.

I do not mind having her as an example for my life, but the Church sometimes prevents that which it demands. She sets a high bar filled with opportunity, independence, and strength. She is probably Woman Wisdom, making this the bookend of female encounters in Proverbs. If she is the ideal for all women, she is also the ideal for all men—not as a requirement for one’s spouse but as a required way of life.


Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer
Sing praise to the Lord who dwells in Zion; proclaim to the peoples the things he has done. — Psalm 9.11

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

​Today’s Readings
Proverbs 31 (Listen 2:50)
Psalm 48 (Listen 1:28)

Read more about Lady Wisdom
After the cloying voice of the temptress, and vivid descriptions of her hapless victims, a new voice speaks out in Proverbs—Lady Wisdom.

Lady Wisdom

Read The Bible With Us
A Bible reading plan is a journey you can start anytime. Walk through the Bible with us at a sustainable, two-year pace.

https://mailchi.mp/theparkforum/m-f-daily-email-devotional

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Inspired Utterance

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 30.1-5
1 The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh—an inspired utterance. 
This man’s utterance to Ithiel: 
“I am weary, God, 
but I can prevail. 
2 Surely I am only a brute, not a man; 
I do not have human understanding. 
3 I have not learned wisdom, 
nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One. 
4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? 
Whose hands have gathered up the wind? 
Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? 
Who has established all the ends of the earth? 
What is his name, and what is the name of his son? 
Surely you know! 
5 “Every word of God is flawless; 
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

Reflection: Inspired Utterance
By John Tillman

We do not know who Agur, Jakeh, or Ithiel are. They are mentioned nowhere else in scripture. 

Agur expresses that without God’s wisdom, humans are little better than brute animals. This could be a general description of our culture. 

Our culture claims to set us free, allowing our individual hearts, feelings, experiences, and opinions to self-determine truth, right, and wrong, however, this doesn’t set anyone free. “Personal truth” makes every person a dictator who must either enslave the world to their “truth” or be enslaved by the conflicting “truths” of others.

“Follow your hearts” sounds supportive until someone follows their heart to commit adultery, rape, or create pornography. “Do what feels good” sounds fun until someone “feels good” making racist artwork, overdosing on drugs, or defrauding the poor. “Speak your truth” sounds freeing until one person’s truth causes deaths (or war) over a lie.

Agur, whoever he is, must have read Job. His writing reflects Job’s concepts. Agur knows we need a dose of humility. He issues a challenge to himself and to the reader — a challenge for those who think themselves wise. “Have you gone to heaven? Have you gathered the wind, held the waters, set the boundaries of the earth? If you didn’t, surely you know who did!”

If Agur read Job, Jesus seems to have read them both. Jesus echoed Agur when he said, “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.” (John 3.11-13) Jesus also expected that those who “study the scriptures diligently” should find, not just wisdom, but testimony about himself. (John 5.39-40) All scripture testifies about Jesus and the wisdom we find there is from him. (Luke 24.27)

We may not know who Agur is, but we know the name of the Holy One he reveres and references — the source of true wisdom. The setter of the boundaries of the earth, the holder of the waters, the gatherer of the wind, and the one who comes down from heaven, is Jesus. He is the flawless Word of God and is a shield to all who take refuge in him.

In his refuge we find wisdom, peace, mercy, and understanding that can change us from brutish beings enslaved to our urges into true humans — images of God upon the earth.

Lord, give to us inspired utterances that reveal you to others as the source of wisdom.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
Righteousness and justice are the foundations of your throne; love and truth go before your face. — Psalm 89.14

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Readings
Proverbs 30 (Listen 3:51)
Psalm 46-47 (Listen 2:15)

Read more about Blessings of the Dispossessed
“Cause I can see a people dispossessed 
Broken and brave in the face of so much fear 
Driven from their homes by the greed of a nation 
Whose treaties were as good as litter 
Along the trail of their tears”

Blessings of the Dispossessed

Read more about Honoring The Truth
Seeking the truth is not only a spiritual quest. It is sometimes a civic one. Or a legal one.

Honoring The Truth
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Streams of Scripture

Scripture Focus: Psalm 27.1-3
1 As the deer pants for streams of water, 
so my soul pants for you, my God. 
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. 
When can I go and meet with God? 
3 My tears have been my food 
day and night, 
while people say to me all day long, 
“Where is your God?”

Reflection: Streams of Scripture
By John Tillman

In arid regions, there are rivers and streams that only exist at certain times. These wadis are dry, dead depressions in the landscape for much of the year. Some are little more than ditches. Some are like miniature canyons.

These dusty gulches can go from empty to overflowing in minutes due to rain nearby or rain miles and miles away on higher plains or mountains. When snowmelt or heavy rains rush down from the peaks and the high plains, wadis in the desert flow with water and spring to life.

Wadis can become a source of water but dry up as quickly as they fill up. Animals accustomed to finding water in these places can be in distress when they come to a wadi and find it dry.

The writer of Psalm 27 reflects on the distressed sound of deer in the desert, crying out in thirst. The animal cries out in desperate need searching for signs of water. The psalmist cries out in desperate need searching for God.

Jesus may have had this psalm in mind as he prayed in Gethsemane. Jesus’ words, “overwhelmed with sorrow” (Matthew 26.38) echo the psalmist’s phrase, “Why my soul are you downcast?” In the middle of a garden Jesus experienced a spiritual desert. 

Our lives, especially our spiritual lives, can seem like arid regions. One day, the wadi flows and we feel connected to God. Another, it is dry and we long for greater connection. But we can access water from a higher plane, a greater source, that makes streams in the desert.

Psalm 1 says when we delight in the scriptures, they become like water that fills a tree with life and makes it productive, healthy, and full of good fruit. Jesus, in one of his darkest moments, found scripture within his downcast soul. When you know the scriptures inside and out, they get inside you and come out of you. We need scripture hidden in our hearts for our soul’s darkest moments.

If Jesus experienced dry times, we will, too. During dry days, we can search our souls for streams of scripture. Like animals in the wilderness, calling out in need, we can call on the Holy Spirit to fill our dry depressions. The dusty canyons of our souls can be filled with the living water that Jesus gives, becoming a fountain within us, overflowing with life.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Small Verse
Let me seek the Lord while he may still be found. I will call upon his name; while he is near. 

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.


​Today’s Readings
Proverbs 27 (Listen 2:43)
Psalms 42-43 (Listen 2:31)

This Weekend’s Readings
Proverbs 28 (Listen 3:07), Psalm 44 (Listen 2:44)
Proverbs 29 (Listen 2:44), Psalm 45 (Listen 2:17)

Read more about Sluggish Grief
Emotional experience is like traveling across mountains…the bright ascent to the peak…But…we must descend into the valley, the dark woods.

Sluggish Grief

Read more about Be With Me
The weight of our sadness reflects the hope of a beautiful life that has been tragically altered.
But we are not alone. God is near to the brokenhearted…

Be With Me
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Answering Fools

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 26.4-5, 9, 12
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
or you yourself will be just like him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
or he will be wise in his own eyes.

9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand
is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

12 Do you see a person wise in their own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for them.

Reflection: Answering Fools
By John Tillman

Answer a fool. Don’t answer a fool. This famous mirrored pair of proverbs is almost a metaphor for the entire collection. Alone, either one of them makes sense. Together they seem absurd. Surely they can’t both be right? Surely neither of them can be wrong?

Firstly, we shouldn’t become fools.

Being wise isn’t as easy as just quoting a proverb or even putting it into practice. Even wise words can cause harm when foolish people quote them. Proverbs’ vivid picture of this is a drunken man, wildly swinging a thornbush. The man, anyone around him, and anyone trying to help are likely to be harmed.

We need wisdom to know how to use wisdom. When we quote aphorisms without regard to the situation, we are like that drunken thornbush-waving fool. “Pray more.” “Have a little faith.” “Is there sin in your life?” All three of these statements are scripturally valid and, at the right time, could be wise things to say. They will also wound someone who is suffering if we wave them around wildly. To a mother whose child is sick, any of the above statements are likely to feel like an attack.

Secondly, we should pursue wisdom humbly. 

Proverbs is a book of hope for fools. It calls to us to become wise and warns of something worse than being a fool — being wise in our own eyes. We all start foolish and simple. Lady Wisdom invites us to wisdom. Lady Folly whispers a lie that we’ve already arrived. Can we prevent others from falling into this trap? Can we prevent ourselves from doing so?

Do we answer fools or not? Do we try to remove the thornbush from the drunkard’s hand? 

Frustratingly, I think the answer is, “sometimes.” Sometimes, perhaps we can help fools stumble toward true wisdom. Sometimes the best thing we can do is help others avoid the thornbush-waving fools. In either case, we should take care and be humble. We can’t save everyone from their own foolishness, especially when we are still at risk of it ourselves.

Whatever we can do to prevent ourselves and those around us from becoming wise in our own eyes is probably worth the risk. We may be scratched by the thorns, but so was our savior. And he endured them to save fools like us.


Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
Send forth your strength, O God; establish, O God, what you have wrought for us. — Psalm 68.28

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.


​Today’s Readings
Proverbs 26 (Listen 2:37)
Mark 16 (Listen 5:34)

Read more about Destiny of Grass vs Cedars
There are purposes for the flourishing of the wicked and one of them is that one day the world will see them fall.

Destiny of Grass vs Cedars

Read more about RSVP to Wisdom or Folly
Two hostesses beckon. Which banquet will you enter? Who gets your RSVP?

RSVP to Wisdom or Folly
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