Sunday 9/24/2017 5:38 AM
Lately it seems like all rational thought and common sense
has left our society. Civility is no longer exercised in our discourse. In general,
it seems like we behave like spoiled children, from the lowliest members of
society to the President of the United States. What we need is a strong dose of
wisdom from our leaders, not the attitude and behavior of a middle schooler.
Eugene Peterson describes wisdom in his book Earth and Altar. He writes, “The
opposite of foolish in Scripture is wise. Wise refers to skill in living. It does not mean, primarily, the
person who knows the right answers to things, but one who has developed the
right responses (relationships) to persons, to God. The wise understand how the
world works; know about patience and love, listening and grace, adoration and
beauty; know that other people are awesome creatures to be respected and
befriended, especially the ones that I cannot get anything out of; know that
the earth is a marvelously intricate gift to be cared for and enjoyed; know
that God is an every-present center, a never-diminishing reality, an
all-encompassing love; and know that there is not living being that does not
reach out gladly and responsively to [God] and the nation/kingdom/community in
which [God] has placed us.”
I long for the day when our society tires of our
dysfunctional way of living and begins to exercise the patience, love,
listening, grace, adoration, and respect to which Peterson refers. A day when
people and relationships are nurtured and appreciated and our environment is
cared for, protected, and enjoyed. We need to turn from our foolishness and
begin exercising our wisdom.
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