Message: Wisdom in Streets / Proverbs 1:20-33
in the squares she raises her voice.
21 At the busiest corner she cries out;
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge?
23 Give heed to my reproof;
I will pour out my thoughts to you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I have called and you refused,
have stretched out my hand and no one heeded,
25 and because you have ignored all my counsel
and would have none of my reproof,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when panic strikes you,
27 when panic strikes you like a storm,
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently, but will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the LORD,
30 would have none of my counsel,
and despised all my reproof,
31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way
and be sated with their own devices.
32 For waywardness kills the simple,
and the complacency of fools destroys them;
33 but those who listen to me will be secure
and will live at ease, without dread of disaster.”
When it comes to the creation story in the Bible, most people think of the Book of Genesis. Since the two creation stories (Genesis 1:1-2:4a, 2:4b-3:24) are right at the beginning of the Bible, they are often the ones we hear the most about. But the truth is, many other books in the Bible also talk about creation (for example, Job, Psalms, Isaiah, Ecclesiastes, and John). All of these stories are different attempts to explain the relationship between the Creator and the universe, as they reflect the awe and wonder of encountering the divine.
Even though these stories describe the process of creation in different ways, they share one important idea: God, the Creator, loves all beings and wants everything and everyone to thrive in harmony and peace. None of them say that God created evil. The Bible sees evil as coming from people who fail to see God's presence in creation and God's image in other people. This failure leads to division, conflict, hatred, discrimination, injustice, and ecological crisis.
One of the fascinating creation stories is in the Book of Proverbs (8:22-31). It tells us that wisdom was born before God created the world. In Hebrew, "wisdom" is a feminine noun, and it is often personified in Proverbs. Wisdom is described as a “master worker,” working alongside God during creation and bringing joy to God. Wisdom made sure that the world was created with balance and harmony, and both nature and human beings became a source of joy for God because of Wisdom.
In today’s first reading, Wisdom is crying out. She is shouting in the busiest areas of the town — the streets, the squares, the busiest corners, and the entrance of the city gates. So, why is Wisdom, who once brought God so much joy by helping to create a peaceful and harmonious world, now crying out in these crowded, busy places?
It’s because people have stopped listening to her. Wisdom is crying out because of the “simple ones” who refuse to reflect on the word of God, the "scoffers" who always think they’re right, and the "fools" who give up learning with an open heart. These are the people who make creation worse, causing violence and disaster between people. For this reason, Wisdom shouts to them, offering her "prodding words," urging them to return to God’s love and peace.
In verse 24, Wisdom says, “Give heed to my reproof.” The phrase “give heed” means “to turn,” and “reproof” refers to “the correction given to someone who is at fault.” Wisdom is calling the people who are in the way of the simple ones, scoffers, and fools to turn back to God.
We, too, need to listen to wisdom’s words. We need to take time to reflect on where we are in this moment and return to God. Just like a guitar needs to be tuned to a standard pitch to play properly, we need to tune ourselves to God, our Creator. This is the path to living wisely.
To do this, we need to pay close attention to Wisdom’s call, even when it makes us uncomfortable. Wisdom is like an alarm, reminding us when it’s time to make adjustments. She stirs up the image of God that is inside of us and wakes us up, guiding us back to the path of God’s peace and love.
Recently, I heard Wisdom’s voice on a street in South Korea. Last Friday, I saw a photograph that brought tears to my eyes. It was taken at a worship service on the street in front of the General Council building of the Korean Methodist Church. The service was held to support pastors who did a blessing ceremony at the 2024 Queer Festival. The image was blurred to protect the identities of the people who attended, as the church had recently excommunicated a pastor for welcoming 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, and more people were being targeted.
This story goes back to 2019 when Rev. Dong-Hwan Lee of the Korean Methodist Church offered a blessing to LGBTQ+ participants at a queer festival. The church said this violated a rule that forbids supporting homosexuality, and in 2020, Lee was suspended for two years. After his suspension ended, the church put him on trial again for continuing to minister to the LGBTQ+ community, and he was excommunicated this year.
But Lee’s excommunication stirred the hearts of other pastors. At the Seoul Queer Festival this June, six pastors stood with him, offering blessings to LGBTQ+ individuals. As a result, they too faced charges from the church.
When I visited Korea this summer, I had the chance to preach at Glory First Church, where Lee serves. He and I were classmates at Korean Methodist Theological University in Seoul, so I’ve known for a long time about his deep and sincere faith, as well as his commitment to serving those who are vulnerable and oppressed, following the way of Jesus Christ. Despite the hardships, both he and his congregation were full of hope. In fact, I was the one who left feeling encouraged and empowered.
After the service, I had a meal with the congregation. Then Lee shared how grateful he was for the support he received from the United Church of Canada during his first trial in 2020. At that time, I was studying for my M.Div. at St. Andrew’s College in Saskatoon, SK, and I shared his story with members of Grosvenor Park United Church, where I was attending. Soon after, the congregation sent an open letter of support to him. The letter was recorded on video, read by the minister of the congregation, Rev. Nobuko Iwai, and I translated it into Korean. Lee later responded with a video message thanking them. This act of solidarity led other groups, including St. Andrew’s College and different Regional Councils, to also send letters of support. Eventually, Rev. Michael Blair, the General Secretary of the United Church of Canada, sent an official letter of support to the Korean Methodist Church on Lee's behalf.
In 2020, when Lee was feeling hopeless and powerless during his trial, he said that the public support from the United Church gave him a lot of comfort and strength. At a time when he was struggling with insomnia, panic attacks, and social anxiety, the prayers and support from the United Church restored his faith and hope. It was a crucial lifeline that encouraged him to keep sharing the love of Christ with those who are marginalized. The United Church of Canada was the only denomination to officially support him during this difficult time.
Since his excommunication, several theological schools in the United States have offered Lee scholarships, including significant financial aid, to continue his studies. However, he decided to stay in Korea, not wanting to give up on the Korean church. He continues to work for the LGBTQ+ Christian organization he founded, called Q&A, which conducts theological research, leads worship services, and creates worship resources for LGBTQ+ individuals. However, financial difficulties remain, as churches and organizations are reluctant to support Q&A for fear of being judged by their own denominations.
Before I left Korea, I met with Rev. Heung-Do Cha, one of the pastors who stood with Lee at the Queer Festival this year. I worked with him at the Methodist Rural Mission Training Institute for several years before I moved to Canada, and he is now close to retirement. He told me that his reason for joining the blessing ceremony came from a deep sense of responsibility toward younger pastors and a desire for the Korean church to move forward. The pastors who participated in the blessing were all nearing retirement, and they discouraged younger pastors from joining because they couldn’t bear to see more faithful pastors like Lee being cast out of the church.
These pastors, who have long spoken out against dictatorship and corruption in the streets, represent a proud legacy of ministry in the church. And yet, once again, their denomination is getting ready to expel these great pastors. But one thing is clear: no church can cast out the love of God the Creator for those who are marginalized and oppressed in creation.
Wisdom is crying out in the streets. It’s time for us to listen to her voice. It’s time to turn back to God. We need to tune ourselves to God, our standard pitch, even if it feels uncomfortable. Shutting our ears to Wisdom leads to disaster. As Wisdom says: “For waywardness kills the simple, and the complacency of fools destroys them; but those who listen to me will be secure and will live at ease, without dread of disaster” (Proverbs 1:32-33). Let us listen to Wisdom’s call and turn back to God, our Creator.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
South Stormont Pastoral Charge
(Ingleside-Newington United Church & St. Andrew's-St. Mark's United Church)
Second Sunday in Creation Time, 2024
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