by Fr Gabriel-Allan Boyd
At just 20 years old, King David’s son, Solomon, was anointed into the terrifying responsibility of being king over the nation of Israel. In contemplation of that for which he was about to become accountable, Solomon brought sacrifices before the Lord (1 Kings 3:3–15). That night, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, “Ask for whatever you want and it will be given to you.” Solomon was all too aware of his youthful inexperience to administer such huge responsibility, and so he asked God to give him the gift of a discerning heart so that he could judge rightly what was best for his people. God was very pleased that Solomon asked so unselfishly. So God poured out upon Solomon the miraculous grace of wisdom—a wisdom that surpassed anyone on earth who had ever lived before him and which would exceed the wisdom of anyone on earth who would ever live after him.
Although Solomon put much of that wisdom to good use in leading the people of Israel, he also, unfortunately, spent far too much of his life wasting that gift…seeking delight and fulfillment in the wrong places. Little by little, he discovered the hard way, that life doesn’t consist in the amount of wealth we possess, one’s experience of bodily pleasures, one’s popularity, or powerful position in the community. Pursuing so many distractions ended up having grave consequences on Solomon’s family, his vocation and his personal well-being.
After Solomon’s frenzied search for fulfillment in life (what most Americans would refer to as “the pursuit of happiness”)…he discovered that the things this world values are, ultimately, just foolish vanity…a striving after the wind. Chasing after happiness didn’t make him more happy. Instead it all had the opposite effect. Solomon eventualy came to his senses and observed that, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the accumulated advice from others who have set themselves apart unto God is true understanding; for to know God’s teaching is characteristic of a good mind” (Proverbs 9:10). Wouldn’t you like to experience a good mind in 2020?
Solomon’s father, King David, had a similar season of regret, where he eventually poured out his struggle and lament to God in Psalm 37 (38)—which is read at every Orthros. As David recounted his own failings, as well as the painful consequences he was enduring because of those foolish choices, the shepherd-king made an insightful comment: “My wounds grow foul and fester because of my foolishness; I suffer misery, and I am utterly bowed down” (v.5-6). Although the psalmist doesn’t give us the details of David’s specific imprudent decisions that apply to this particular Psalm, or of the way this has wounded his life, one thing is clear—David recognized that his own foolish choices were their root cause.
We live in an age of self-importance, where (even in the Church) people will choose their own foolish notions over the things that God teaches us we should be doing. We often start out with the false belief that God’s biggest intention is to make us comfortable and happy. And being too lazy to apply ourselves to authentic study of His teachings, we often cherry-pick (taking out-of-context) the little scripture passages, or sayings of particular saints or clergy that support our agenda so that we can feel comfortable. But when we, ourselves become the measure of what’s right and wrong, that’s just constructing a god in our own image…a god who accepts our every bodily appetite and proclivity without judgement. That kind of foolish laziness is a far cry from Saint Paul’s admonition to the Church in Philippi, to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.” (Philippians 2:12). Will 2020 be the year that you eschew the foolish echo-chamber of doing only what makes you comfortable…and as “a new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17 ) you apply yourself to an uncomfortable embrace of God’s timeless wisdom, to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling…with holy awe in how much bigger and more profound God is than us?
In this culture, it’s common for people to think that our ways are the best and that God’s ways (the timeless wisdom that God teaches us throughout His scriptures and through the instructions from the saints) are antiquated, and thus, inadequate for the sophisticated and ‘sciency’ people who live in this culture now. But listen to what God—whose ways are unlimited, incomprehensible, unfathomable, and inexpressible—says to the Prophet Isaiah. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts are higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9). So, “these are the ones on whom I look with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at My word” Isaiah 66:2). Will 2020 be the year that you, now, tremble in your response to God’s word?
The deadliest lie of this generation, is to base things on our own limited perspective and feelings and say, “Well if God is a loving God, then He’ll let me do the things I want to do, the way I want to do them. God shouldn’t care if I copulate with whomever I want, so long as it makes me feel good. God shouldn’t care if I spend my life in pursuits of my own will, rather than His will for me, so long as it makes me happy. If God is a loving God, then, first and foremost, He must want me to be happy.” People don’t realize that even though they’re talking about the God who cares about us more than we could possibly imagine, His ways (which—since He tells us to take up our cross—usually involve making us uncomfortable) are also far better than anything we could imagine.
When we think our own ways are more profound than what God has in mind for us, we’re being foolishly reckless. Look at the heart-felt warning that Saint Paul offers to the Church in Rome, “Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and long-suffering, not knowing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? But in accordance with your rigidly unrepentant heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath—in the revelation of God’s righteous judgment, who “will render to each person according to their deeds”: to those who persist in doing good because they seek the glorious honor of incorruptibility, He will grant eternal life; but He will grant indignation and wrath to those who are self-seeking, because they reject the truth, to offer obedience to unrighteousness” (Romans 2:4-8).
God, in His kindness, has been lenient with us, graciously giving us more time to repent. But that won’t last forever. As with any child, God expects us to grow in maturity in Him. Eventually, there are consequences (both in this life—as Solomon discovered—and in the one to follow) for our refusal to live faithfully as God’s Church. By God’s grace, don’t take His kindness for granted. Make 2020 a year for new vision, becoming a new creature in Christ, with a goal of pursuing and embracing God’s timeless wisdom, even when it makes you uncomfortable. In awe of God’s ways, make this year, the year you experience the beginning of wisdom.