Wisdom in practice - dealing with success

Proverbs 1 and Mark 3 (For texts click here and here)

In this passage in Mark, Jesus is beginning to become increasingly popular and needs to find ways of dealing with His success. His miraculous works have drawn great crowds to Him and there is so much desperate need around Him that He needs to plan howthe needs are met nd the teaching can happen. In this passage He deals with this "success" in three ways.

Firstly, he takes precautions for Himself, His disciples and those who come to find healing that the ministry can continue in an orderly way. He does not allow the situation to get out of control or degenerate into a scrum. He organises for a boat to be made available. This, of course, also ensures that the message He has to deliver will be heard.

Secondly, He tries to ensure that the expectations of the people, who seek political freedom through conflict, are managed down. As the evils spirits leave those who are being healed, they acclaim Jesus as the Son of God and although this is of course true, I wonder whether or not they are stirring things up to try and distract Jesus and off rail his Kingdom Ministry through earthly expectations. He recognises their game and does not fall for it.

Thirdly, He shares the ministry and the work as soon as He can. He withdraws to a mountain and appoints the twelve with whom He shares His authority for the work He is doing. He multiplies the blessings that God is pouring out by multiplying those who can administer them.

This is wisdom in practice. An understanding of the work that God has called Jesus to do, a wise discernment of the pitfalls and a vision for seeing it grow. Mark captures the simple clarity of the thinking. Wisdom in hindsight always looks so simple; but of course, the trick is to see it in the midst of the potential mayhem!

Love that heals not harms

Proverbs 1 and Mark 2:23 - 3:6 (For texts click here and here)

It takes a lot of wisdom to love well. Loving well is like walking a narrow path. On the one side, there is a desire to give to a person you love anything they desire and want, when they want it without question. On the other side, is the desire to protect someone from all harm and make them perfect in all they do. The first side is the side of false freedom which spoils and prevents someone from growing into wisdom themselves - true wisdom that puts the love of God and others alongside themselves. The second side is restrictive and legal, over-protective and does not allow a person the space to take responsibility for their own actions and to develop deeper motives of love and compassion for others; they only learn fear of doing wrong.

Walking this narrow path of wisdom requires the humility to listen to God. We are called to let go of the pride that leads us to believe that we have all the answers immediately. It requires to us relinquish the sloth that wants quick answers and short cuts to avoid spending time considering difficult situations. It requires a peace and a pace of life built on the solid foundation of a clear decision in ourselves to want to do what is right and not what is easy.

Jesus models this wisdom for us in a life of love and compassion. He sees through the narrowness of controlling religion and challenges the false freedom of lives lived solely to satisfy transient passions and demands. The Word living as a person calls us to have our own hearts and minds transformed in such a way that we live as He does, loving in a way that heals not harms.

The sort of "fear of the Lord" that is the beginning of knowledge, is the concern to walk this narrow path with Him. This fear is not based on punishment but on the understanding that we lose so much when we step off God's path - we lose the wisdom to live and love well.