Living a Life Worthy of the Calling: Wisdom as a Way of Life

Ephesians 5:15-20

Rev. Stephen H. Wilkins

Georgetown Presbyterian Church

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Today we are continuing to flesh-out what it means to live a life worthy of the calling we have received. We are using Paul’s letter to the Ephesians as our basis for instruction. What does it mean for us to live lives that are worthy of the calling that God has given to us? It’s really what living as disciples of Jesus Christ is all about, isn’t it? Today we consider wisdom as a key component of our discipleship.

A man was pondering his life, and he was wondering why God had given others so much money, while he barely had enough to get by. Suddenly, God appeared before the man. The man didn’t want to go right out and ask God for the amount of money he thought he was worth, so he decided to try another tactic.

The man asked God, "What is a thousand years like to you, since you are eternal and stand outside of all time?" God answered, "A thousand years is hardly a day to me."

Then the man asked God, "And God, what does a billion dollars mean to you, since you are the one with all power and to whom everything in this world already belongs?" God answered, "A billion dollars is hardly worth a penny to me."

Thinking that he had figured a way to outsmart God, the man asked one more question, "God, would you please give me one of your pennies?"

"Sure," said God. "I’ll have it ready for you tomorrow."

What does wisdom look like?

Some people equate wisdom with intelligence. Some think that you’re wise if you’re considered smarter than the next person. But wisdom is far greater than the sum of all knowledge. As I was studying this text from Ephesians, I came across a definition of wisdom that I like, one that shows that wisdom is more than mere knowledge: "Wisdom is the gift of living the present to the utmost and learning from the now whatever we will need to respond with integrity to whatever our future brings." Wisdom does involve learning, but only insofar as we live according to what we have learned. In that regard, wisdom is not a store of knowledge in and of itself, but a way of life that is informed by a store of knowledge.

In today’s text, Paul exhorts us to live wisely: "Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise." What does the wise life look like? If you were to examine your own life, how would you know whether or not you have been living wisely? I would like to suggest four characteristics of wisdom that Paul alludes to in this morning’s text.

First, wisdom is lived out intentionally. Wisdom is not automatic; rather, wisdom must be lived out deliberately. "Be careful," Paul says, ". . .make the most of every opportunity." If you are wise, you will pay attention. A wise person pays attention to the world around him or her. If you’re wise, you will be an observer of the world, paying attention to details, and storing them in your mind. Be careful, urges Paul. Pay attention, because there’s something you can learn from everything and everybody.

"Make the most of every opportunity," says Paul. A wise person recognizes that our time on this earth is a finite and precious commodity. And so every moment ought to be lived in full appreciation for the value of time and life and relationship. Make the most of every moment. A wise person will recognize that moments spent on things like drunkenness and debauchery are moments that you’ll never get back. Don’t waste your time; spend your time wisely.

Soon after the death of a famous rabbi, a traveler asked one of the rabbi’s disciples, "Your rabbi was renowned for his wisdom. What did he give the greatest attention to in life?" The disciple thought for a minute and then said, "He gave the greatest attention to whatever he happened to be doing at the moment."

Wise living means paying attention to your life and making the most of every moment.

The second characteristic of wise living is that a wise person seeks the counsel of the Lord, for the wise person knows that there is a difference between good and evil, right and wrong. Paul says, "Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is..." If you’re wise, you will seek to live life in concert with God.

A wise person recognizes that life is full of decisions--do I take this path, or that one?--and life is also divided between good and evil. If you’re wise, you will recognize that it’s not always possible to distinguish the good from the evil, and so we need counsel. Where will we turn for that counsel? The wise person will seek the counsel of God. The wise person will seek to know the will of God, so that he or she may walk in conformity with God’s will.

That’s one reason that the study of scripture is so important. The Bible is God’s word to us; it is the way that God has chosen to reveal his will to us. In a couple of weeks, we’ll be celebrating Christian Education Sunday. The purpose of our Christian Education is not simply to make smarter Christians; it is to immerse ourselves in scripture so that we can know God and so that we can know God’s will and so that we can know God’s love revealed to us through his son Jesus Christ, and so that we can live in obedience to God.

Scripture is always relevant. No matter how many times you’ve read the Bible, or some particular Bible stories or passages, there will always be more to glean from God’s word. Not because God’s word changes, but because our lives are different every time we read it, and the accumulation of life experiences tempers our perspective and adds to our wisdom. Scripture is always relevant. Seek the counsel of God.

The third characteristic of wise living is related to the second. A wise person will seek to live life in communion with God. "Be filled with the Spirit," Paul says, ". . .sing and make music in your heart to the Lord. . .." I think Paul is referring to two different dynamics here. One is seeking to live constantly in the presence of God, through the power of the Spirit. The other dynamic is that of worship; life that is lived out in the presence of God will result in a response of worship.

You know, we can learn a lot from dogs. Back in May, we were given a hound dog puppy. Bevo is full of energy, like most puppies. And also like most puppies, Bevo is learning what is acceptable and what is not acceptable behavior. Licking us on the face is acceptable--messy, but acceptable. Chewing the furniture is unacceptable. Sitting quietly and patiently while we eat dinner or while we cook is acceptable. Jumping up on the table or pulling food off the counter is unacceptable. In our presence, Bevo is more apt to behave in the acceptable manner, though sometimes he needs several reminders. But in our absence, Bevo will more quickly slide into behavior that is not acceptable; I realize this every time I hear him in the kitchen when I’m not there.

The point is, we will live life differently when we find ourselves in the presence of God. Maybe we won’t be so quick to react with anger at something. Maybe we will decide not to watch a particular show on TV. Maybe we will try to be more patient and loving toward others when we realize that God is with us. The truth is, there is nowhere we can go where we can hide from God. There is nowhere where God is not. The wise person will live as if that reality makes a difference.

But living in the presence of God is about more than behaving well. It’s about knowing and loving the God who is present. I want to go back to dogs for a moment, because again dogs show us what it’s like to live in the presence of our Lord. Dogs aren’t afraid of showing their excitement when their master comes home. When we’ve been gone for the day, and we drive up in our driveway, the first thing we see is Bevo sticking his head over our porch wall. And then he jumps up and down and barks and wags his tail a hundred miles per hour. And he jumps up on us and licks us and runs through the house, full of excitement. He loves being with us; being with us is fills Bevo with joy.

In the same way, worship is our opportunity to express our joy and our gratitude to God. Let your worship be a sign of your joy at being in the presence of God, who has called you by name and who has loved you with an everlasting love. Sometimes we get overly caught up in the "decently and in order" thing, and we let it suppress our joy. To live life in the presence of God is not some burdensome thing that shackles us; it’s a cause for praise. You know and I know that the chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him--ENJOY HIM--forever! Live your life in praise of God!

Finally, the fourth characteristic of wise living is an attitude of humble gratitude toward God. Paul calls us to be "always giving thanks to God the Father for everything." At first glance, that seems a bit unreasonable, doesn’t it? Surely Paul doesn’t mean everything. It doesn’t mean that we thank God for Hurricane Katrina, does it, because I don’t know of many people who were thankful in its aftermath? Surely Paul couldn’t mean that we ought to be thankful that the population of Africa is headed toward annihilation because of the effects of AIDS? Surely Paul was speaking in hyperbole--how can we possibly be thankful for everything?

Yet part of wise living is gratitude, always grateful for everything. Gratitude is a response to God’s sovereignty and God’s providence. You see, Paul doesn’t say to thank God for every thing, but for everything. There’s a difference. Certainly there are things in this world that rightly evoke anger, and not gratitude. Certainly there are things in this world that understandably break our hearts, not fill them with happiness. But in the providence of God all things do work for the good. God’s purpose is to redeem this world, not condemn it. Everything that happens, both good and bad, will be used to accomplish God’s purpose of redemption. We can live in gratitude for everything, because everything is in the hands of God. The whole world is in his hands.

And we know God. He’s the God who has filled us with every spiritual blessing. He’s the God who sent his Son so that we might have life and have it abundantly. He’s the God who, even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil, for God is with us. He’s the God who has said to us through the prophet Isaiah, "Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy one of Israel, your Savior."

And that, my friends, is why we can be grateful for everything, for everything is in God’s hands. And God is love, and God is our salvation, and in all things God is working for the redemption of the world.

What does a wise life look like? It’s a life that one deliberately chooses to live every moment, every day. It’s a life that seeks the counsel of God and lives in the presence of God. And it’s a life that is always grateful to God, for everything.

Live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Choose wisdom as your way of life. Amen.