Mind of a Sage

Sitting with the book of Sirach, I was struck the other day with "Humble yourself the more, the greater you are and you will find favor with God... The mind of the sage appreciates proverbs, and an attentive ear is the joy of the wise. Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins" (Sirach 3:18ff). It seems challenging to our present world view that applauds and admires greed and overindulgent consumption. Maybe it's part of our human nature ~ Jesus was challenging it in his time too! This sense of status and superiority ~ the arrogant assumption of privilege and the automatic exclusion of those who are in need!

The challenge "comes home" when we sit with scripture and other wisdom writings ~ will we choose the things of God and eternal truth or the current values of the world? It is a fundamental choice and we make it every day in what we say and do. Choosing what is true and good (usually what also "costs" us more) we learn to honour each person as a brother and sister ~ joining together to build a better world for all.