Where Wisdom Begins
Luke 2:29-52[1]
Wisdom is something
that we can recognize when we see it, but how to find it is another thing
altogether. For centuries, the human family has wondered where wisdom is to be
found. The ancient Greek Philosopher Socrates said we find wisdom by knowing ourselves
well. William Shakespeare, in the play “Hamlet,” said that wisdom was about
being true to ourselves. Eastern religion tells us that wisdom comes from accepting
change as a normal part of life. And Martin Luther King, Jr. said wisdom was
found in posing and answer the question “What are you doing for others?”
But, of course, these
days I’m not so sure that “wisdom” is actually what we’re concerned about. Our
technology has focused us more on “information.” Most of us have a device with
us right now that can provide us instant access to all kinds of information. As
helpful as that is, I wouldn’t say all the information literally at our
fingertips has made us any wiser. In fact, with all the “alternative facts” out
there, I would say we struggle with simple good judgment!
The Bible says that
“the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov 9:10). That’s probably
not your favorite Scripture verse. It brings up images of an angry God who is demanding
and swift to punish. But the “fear of the Lord” in the Bible is not about being
afraid of God. It’s about an attitude of respect for God. The “fear of the
Lord” is about honoring God with your heart and your life. That’s where wisdom
begins.
Our gospel lesson for
today tells us a unique story. It’s about a trip to Jerusalem that Joseph,
Mary, and Jesus made when he was just a child. They went there to celebrate the
Passover feast together. When the feast was over and it was time to go home,
Mary and Joseph joined the group of family and friends they were travelling
with and set out. But the Scripture tells us that Jesus stayed behind in
Jerusalem! And it’s apparent that Joseph and Mary didn’t know what he’d done,
because they spent a day on the road. When evening came, and they looked for
Jesus, he was nowhere to be found!
Naturally, they went
back to Jerusalem. The story tells us that they searched for three days without
finding him! I can only imagine what they must have gone through as they
searched the city for their boy. Luke tells us that on the third day they found
Jesus in the Temple “sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking
them questions” (Lk 2:46). The “teachers” would have been rabbis and scribes,
the Jewish religious leaders. I think we’re meant to understand that Jesus was
not “sitting among” them as a student, but rather discussing matters of faith
as an equal. The reason for this is Luke says that “all who heard him were
amazed at his understanding and his answers” (Lk 2:47).
While I’m sure there
must have been some degree of parental pride at seeing her son dialoguing with
the Jewish leaders, Mary clearly wasn’t pleased with Jesus. When they found
him, she said to him, “why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and
I have been searching for you in great anxiety” (Lk 2:48). The fact that Jesus
had stayed behind in Jerusalem was clearly not what Mary expected of her son.
Some have even raised the question whether the boy Jesus broke the commandment
to “honor your father and mother.”
But his reply to his
mother shows us that Jesus didn’t stay in Jerusalem at the temple out of disrespect
to Joseph and Mary. He did so because of his growing devotion to his “Father,”
God. That’s what he said to her: “Did you not know that I must be in my
Father’s house?” (Lk 2:49). That last phrase is a difficult one. I would translate
it differently: “I must be about my Father’s work.” Already as a child, Jesus
was aware that God had a special purpose for his life, and he responded to that
calling by devoting himself to “his Father’s work.”
This may seem beyond
belief for a twelve-year-old boy. But the main point of this passage is that
Jesus was filled with extraordinary “wisdom” because God’s “favor” was with
him. In fact, that theme serves as “bookends” for this story. Luke tells us
that from a very early age, Jesus was “filled with wisdom” (Lk 2:39). And at
the conclusion, he tells us that “Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and
in divine and human favor” (Lk 2:52).
I’m sure one of the
questions that must have been running through the minds of everyone who
witnessed this event was where this young boy got such extraordinary wisdom. I
would say the answer was right in front of them: “the fear of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom”! Even as a child, Jesus had a growing sense that God had
called him to do something special, and he honored that calling by devoting
himself to God.
Perhaps that can give
us some guidance in our day. As we try to process all the information, all the
“alternative facts,” all the “fake news” that gets thrown at us, one way to
sort it out is to begin with wisdom. One of the best paths to wisdom is to ask
ourselves some tough questions. “What would Jesus do?” is more than a slogan,
it’s a way to guide us to wisdom. Asking whether what we believe or do is
consistent with loving God and loving others is another. Perhaps it would be
helpful for us to use a form of that question from Dr. King: “am I doing this
for myself or for others?” Wisdom is practical like that. And we would do well to
remember that wisdom begins with honoring God.
[1] ©2021 Alan Brehm. A sermon delivered by Rev. Alan Brehm, Ph. D. on 12/26/2021
for Hickman Presbyterian Church, Hickman, NE.
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