From the Editor - The Gift of Wisdom

I reached into Bishop Bradley’s basket of handmade doves  — each one imprinted with a different gift or fruit of the Holy Spirit and a corresponding suggested activity. I carefully averted my eyes as I rifled through the stack so as to let the Holy Spirit guide my choice. And there it was: wisdom. Drat!

I had been secretly hoping for knowledge, so maybe I could dig into scripture study a bit more, or even patience, which (the Holy Spirit knows) I could practice more often, particularly during my morning commute when I am known to mumble driving tips to my fellow commuters.

Oh, but the Holy Spirit had other plans.

As I took in my choice, with Bishop’s suggestion to concentrate on this particular gift during our Jubilee Year of the Holy Spirit, I thought, “Have I been gifted with wisdom?” Not particularly. I mean, I have been blessed by wise people — friends who know me so well they can offer sage advice on everything from my relationships to career challenges — my own Solomons.

But spiritual wisdom? Um, yeah, still working on that.

Never one to shirk doing homework, I turned to the suggested activity — “Read the Book of Sirach” (the book formerly known as Ecclesiastes).OK, that’s easy enough to get started on, so I flip through my Good News Translation of the Bible and there in bold is the Chapter One header: “Life is useless.”

Well, gee, this is gonna be fun.

However, I re-read the description of wisdom: “the ability to get the whole picture.This gift helps us see the world through God’s eyes. It helps us to remember that people are more important than things. We become aware through the gift of wisdom of God’s grace and presence.”*

There is something beautiful about realizing that everything is in God’s hands and the little things are just that — little things.

For example, one parable that always used to just irk me was the one about the group of vineyard workers who all get the same pay. The workers who showed up early and worked all day get the same pay as the ones who come right at the end of the day and barely get in any work (at least, that’s how I remember it). The same pay. Given to all. What??!!

How is that just? In my immature (non-wise) mind, I likened this grave injustice to be on the same level as if a sibling got more Christmas presents. It’s just not right.

However, I’ll admit, it hasn’t been that long since I’ve (finally) come to understand that story differently — by applying some wisdom. It shouldn’t matter when we’re given the great gift of Jesus’ saving grace. It’s there in all its entirety for all of us,no matter when we show up to receive it.

This Advent season I’m going to continue on my quest to avail myself of the Holy Spirit’s gift of wisdom, focusing on the importance of people and not things. And finishing up my homework.

*Definition from the study guide, “Let Our Hearts be In-Spired for Mission: a Reflection on the Holy Spirit,” pastoral letter by Bishop Bradley, August 2021.