I am captivated by how often Biblical wisdom is grounded in things of the earth. ‘Consider the birds,’ says Jesus. ‘Consider the wildflowers, how they neither toil nor spin.’ Pay attention to growing things, and you might learn something.
King Solomon knew this. He was so famously wise that people would travel across land and sea to hear his pronouncements. And what would he speak of? Trees, apparently, and herbs; also animals, and birds, and reptiles, and fish. His wisdom was grounded in a deep knowledge of creation, and so I imagine him as a dreamy little kid spending hours watching snails, or ants, or a rippling creek, and bringing his intelligence and the wisdom of the elders to what he saw.
Perhaps it is no coincidence that his name, ‘Solomon’, is derived from the Hebrew word shalom. Shalom refers to the profound peace which comes about when people live in right relationship with God, each other, and the land. It’s the peace which Jesus breathes, and we receive it when we cultivate a stance of humility, openness, learning and deep listening, such as we saw in the process leading to the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
Sadly, wisdom grounded in creation is not a form of knowing we usually encounter. We’re more likely to seek the proven strategy, the expert opinion, the easy rule, the quick fix. But the pressures and problems of this world, whether as small as the future of our church or as large as climate catastrophe, demand more: so I invite you to go deep.
Sit prayerfully in the place of unknowing, where you do not know the way. Think about what you have learned watching clouds and dandelions, storms and trees, burning logs and waterlogged flood plains and the cycles of kooyang. Think about what you don’t know, and what you now need to learn: then learn it. Seek right relationship between God, people and land, a way which leads to a deep and flourishing peace. With Jesus, consider the birds; like Solomon, speak of trees and herbs; and, gradually, wisdom will emerge, guiding you into God’s future.
1. PREPARE: This would be a great one to do outside. Find a spot, then make yourself comfortable. Uncross your legs; relax your body; uncomplicate your heart. Ask God to help you surrender to whatever it is that God wants to do in you or say to you today. Breathe slowly and deeply in, then out.
2. READ: Read the following passage aloud at least three times through, slowly. Listen carefully. Notice anything which captures your attention.
God gave Solomon very great wisdom, discernment, and breadth of understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore, so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, children of Mahol; his fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations. He composed three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He would speak of trees, from the cedar that is in the Lebanon to the hyssop that grows in the wall; he would speak of animals, and birds, and reptiles, and fish. People came from all the nations to hear the wisdom of Solomon; they came from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom. (1 Kings 4:29-34)
3. REFLECT: Allow a word, phrase or image to speak to you. What do you notice? What emotions do you feel? What questions are bubbling up? Reflect in silence.
4. RELATE: Now wonder: What does this passage say about God, knowledge, people, earth, or society? Does this passage uphold, challenge or disrupt your expectations? Do you think this is a form of wisdom which is open to you? Why or why not?
5. RESPOND: Is God calling you to anything now? Pray about this, and tell God about anything which is emerging. If you feel called to action, ask God to show you/us the next step.
6. REST: When you feel ‘done’, rest awhile. Savour the conversation you are having with God, and God’s loving presence. Close with a gesture of thanks: perhaps a simple bow. As you prepare to leave this space, if any word, phrase or image persists, let it guide you. Or if nothing in particular arises, remember this:
- He would speak of trees …
Shalom,
Alison
Emailed to Sanctuary 16 August 2023 © Alison Sampson, 2023. Photo by Caroline Hernandez on Unsplash.
Alison and the whale 