Greetings!
For those of you reading this who are parents (like Paul & I) or teachers (like half our congregation) we’ve entered into the BIG countdown…until the first day of school! Starting Monday, there will be more traffic on our local roads; kids will seem to come out of nowhere; and hopefully families will start or resume stable routines including attending worship together. We send our kids to school so that they may learn academics and social skills, but church is important learning place, too, no matter what age you are. Because no matter how much “book knowledge” you have, there’s a certain life wisdom that we should all strive to achieve. Wisdom that helps us makes difficult decisions; Wisdom that helps us keep things in perspective; Wisdom that allows us to plan for the future when we take into account the past.
The Bible tells us that there is the wisdom of this world, but then there’s the Wisdom of God (often associated with Logos, the Word of God); and there’s a vast difference between the two! 1Corinithians1:25 says, “the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” The world has many “wise” sayings, such as “The one who dies with the most toys wins;” “It’s all about you;” “You must pull yourself up by the bootstraps.” Many such principles are based on untruth about who were created to be and why. We were created in the image of God to enjoy communion with Him, other people, and creation and to glorify God forever. Not merely to indulge in material pleasures or live self-sufficient, self-centered lives. Some of the best worldly wisdom points to a different truth…“It takes a village to raise a child;” “Practice random acts of kindness;” “There’s always a light at end of the tunnel.” These common sayings point to the importance of community, self-sacrifice, and hope which better reflect the purposes of God for creation.
Where do you need wisdom in your life right now? Have you been listening to the wisdom of the world, or seeking wisdom from God? Be careful! The guidance and principles from the world may sound appealing, but God chooses ways that are seemingly foolish…sacrifice, meekness, patience. The way of the Cross seems foolish to many but it’s the way that leads to fulfillment in this lifetime and peace in the next. Along with reading James this week, I encourage you to read 1Corinthians 1:18-31. On Sunday, I’ll be preaching about “What a Christian Feels” from James 4. See you there!
Peace,
Pastor Amber
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Pray for all school children, teachers & school staff, parents, and those going off to college. And don’t forget to include our CRUM Kindergarten and Preschool in those prayers!
Thank you to all who donated school supplies and helped assemble and distribute them to local kids this week. God bless you!
