Wisdom Prudence

The Bible tells us that the beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord. We often associated "fear" with ‘ being "anxious, in dread, or even terrified. However, the word "fear" is the Bible means "to stand in awe of the mystery of the divine"

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The Bible also tells us that the fool says in his heart ‘There is no God." The fool lacks any knowledge, care or concern for God or for the future of his soul.

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There is a story in the Bible about a fool. It is a disturbing story in that it is about one man’s success. What is even more disturbing about it is that he is not a lazy man, but is very willing to work long days as he looks forward to the day when he can retire and enjoy all the benefits of his hard work. This is not a man who puts his faith in winning the lottery. This is not a man whose hope is that maybe one of his rich relatives will leave him money in their will. No, this is a man who is not afraid to roll up his sleeves and get down and do some hard work. Now I need to break away from our story to tell you of another person.
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I would like you to meet Wisdom Prudence. She walks through the streets and market places. You can find her there beside you when your are working in the barn, or in the field, or at the carpenter’s shop and even in the office. Some have met her while sitting in the pub, others have encountered her while lying sick in a hospital bed or standing silently at the grave of a loved one. She alone knows the answers to life’s most puzzling questions. She is life.

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She alone knows who will have long life and who will die young. It is said that she carries long life in her right hand and wealth and honour in her left. it is also said that every path she points to leads only to peace. Who is Prudence - you tell me - if you have lived life at all you have met her. She stood with you at your baptism. She was with you at your confirmation. She stood beside you when you exchanged vows with your beloved. She comforted you when you were in the midst of grief and sorrow. She is Wisdom Prudence - she is the Holy Spirit of God. She is life. She is breath carried on the wings of the wind.

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She brings change. She is creativity and imagination. She is the past, present and the future. And She walks through the streets and in the market places, and is here this morning, pleading with people to turn from their foolish ways and find not only instruction on how to live life, but also find security for your soul in her.
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But let us return to our story that we began with. He was, as already noted, a hard worker, a man not afraid to roll up his sleeves and get busy. He lived for the day when he could take life easy, just eat, drink and be merry. He worked every waking hour. he never gave any thought to God. He never went to public worship, he was either to busy working or needed to rest so he could work.
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One night, as he went to bed, tired from the long day’s work in the heat and humidity, as he lay there, he began to make some plans. This year promised a bountiful harvest. All his hard work would pay off. First, he would need to knock down his barns and build bigger ones. Then when all was stored away, he would take life easy, eat, drink and be merry. As he slept, God called him home. His death was sudden. He was, as the Bible says, "a fool’. He never gave any thought about God or eternity. I wonder who got to enjoy all of the things this hard working man had prepared for himself. He never ever thought about the future .... I think the word might be prudent.

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Sometimes those who have the most, give the least thought about Godly things. The Bible asks a question: What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?

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Next I would like you to meet a young widow. He husband also died. He had a long illness that just about left the young widow and her two children penniless.
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I have been privileged to meet this young widow. In the face of grief and hardship, she struggled against the odds and raised her two children. In those days of struggle and survival, sometimes just a day to day existence - her faith in God never wavered. Her first thought in the morning was to pray to God to give her the strength and wisdom to raise her sons. She never asked for anything for herself - her first thought was always her children - her boys. She took them to Church. They attended Sunday School, were confirmed and they remember those days when their mother had no money - she always placed an offering on the offertory plate. It wasn’t much - sometimes it was only a few dollars - but some days that was all the money she had. Most people give to God out of their wealth - but she gave out of her poverty. Her few dollars often represented more of an offering than the largest offering of the richest member.
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I think it was the great Henri Nouwen who once wrote, "It is in our deepest poverty that we draw closest to God. "

It was her faith and trust in God that helped her survive those days that now seem so long ago.
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Sometimes, those who have the least give the most to God.

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The Bible tells us that God loves a cheerful giver.

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He was a wealthy young man. Made a fortune from hi-technology. He had more money that he had ever dreamed possible. He had money to do absolutely anything he wished. He even had money to burn. Once, at a party he had thrown at his mansion, he actually lit cigars with $20 bills. He is rich.
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However, it didn’t seem to matter how much money he had, it didn’t seem to matter how exotic the places he travelled to, it didn’t seem to matter how many wild parties he threw or attended, deep down inside he just felt "empty." He had tried to fill the emptiness with alcohol, drugs and women. Nothing satisfied.
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Once, when on vacation, he met a man who seemed to have nothing, well, nothing compared to what he had, and yet, the man had everything. He seemed at peace with the world, and with himself. He just had this peace.
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The rich young man asked the older man what was the secret of his peace. When the older man replied he only used one word. ‘Jesus."
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The rich young man was disillusioned. He didn’t need a talk on religion, or being born again, or going to church - he had heard that all before - and Christians were sometimes the most disagreeable people one could meet.
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The older man didn’t say anything else. The young man looked at him and was greatly disappointed. He had wanted to know where his new friend had found such peace, and when he was told that it was Jesus - the rich young man changed the subject. It is very difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.
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Sometimes those who have the most want to give the least to God.

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As Jesus said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of an needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven ........."

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Spirit of God, you are the breath of creation

the wind of change that blows through nations,

you give us new hopes, dreams and desires

offer new life in Christ, set our hearts on fire.

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You seek to open our closed hearts and minds,

breaking down barricades we erect time after time

we seek comfort in the tradition and make it our god,

denying the needs of the world as onward we plod.

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.Forgive us our closed small tiny biased minds,

which barricade themselves against new ideas of any kind.

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Forgive us our closed eyes, we are blind to the world's needs,

we ignore the hunger and are more concerned about creeds.

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Forgive us our closed hands, as we selfishly plunder

and selfishly use our wealth to satisfy our own hunger.

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Forgive us our closed hearts, I think only of 'me'

It is the Spirit of wisdom that sets my heart free.

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Spirit of new life, forgive me when I fall,

Fill me now, break down this prison wall.

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Spirit of new life, O Heavenly Dove,

take my heart, open it to your love,

that I might serve as did my Lord,

who condescended to come from above.

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