23 September 2012

“How the Scriptures measure ‘capable’”
OT 25B
Proverbs 31:10-31 / James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a; Mark 9:30-37
23 September 2012


Today’s Old Testament reading is a real treat for us … one which is so seldom heard, in worship or any other setting, that when it does come to us we hear these words with wonder and delight … these final words of the book of Proverbs, which are commonly referred to as “the capable wife.”

A capable wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.

Though today we might, in the interest of being inclusive, say “the capable woman,” not wanting to make this a passage just about married women … still, for those who have more than a passing relationship with Scripture, these words can come as balm and blessing … especially in the face of those other readings, other writings in the Old Testament, stories which author / theologian Phyllis Tribble rightly calls “texts of terror,” those other words in the Hebrew Scriptures – and, certainly, the New Testament as well, which are not as kind, nowhere near as loving, indeed, are ugly and reprehensible in their treatment of women.
Abraham passing his wife Sarah off as his sister, giving her away to other kings and princes, to save his own skin.
Sarah sending Hagar away into exile in the desert.
The brutalizing of Tamar by her brother Amnon; both children of King David.
And of course those words from the Pauline letters … about how women are to keep silent in worship, and never, ever have a position of authority over men in the faith community.
Ah yes, though those stories and texts have certainly held large sway with some … and given voice to others who want - at the very least – to erase these parts of Scripture, and at the most - the whole of Christianity - because of them … well, we Lutherans are served well by remembering one of Martin Luther’s tools for reading Scripture … simply, “putting on our Jesus lenses” and reading, hearing these texts through Christ … neither deleting them, nor dismissing our faith or the church because of them … but rather, taking them in, in context … as words of their time, a reflection of human sinfulness … and then more so, hearing, seeing other texts in Scripture, in which women and men are treated with equal dignity and respect.
As this gem today … from the end of the book of Proverbs … does so well.
A capable wife who can find? Those are the words which begin this passage … a question is posited, set forth … a question which the following verses answer, in one who is like this, you will find how the Scriptures measure ‘capable.’
Let’s see how it goes.
The capable woman works hard.
The capable woman is wise in the ways of the world; she can have a career outside the home if she wants.
The capable woman cares both for family and for the poor of the world.
In other words … the capable woman is a fine illustration of what Jesus said in last Sunday’s gospel text:

If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.

Actually, of course, ‘capable’ in the Scripture’s sense knows no gender … indeed, you could switch the pronouns around here and make it into “the capable husband” or “the capable man” and you would have the same result.
You see – ‘capable’ as the Scriptures define it means … shh, because it’s a dirty word in our culture, our way of living … it means, SUBMISSION.
That’s right … submission. Not independence. Not a twisted sense of individualism where it’s all about ME. But submission … living in a way so that our lives show that we … are all about God.
Our reading from James proclaims this clearly:

Submit yourselves therefore to God.

And the Gospel reading, a chapter down the line from last week’s words from Jesus about the Cross … it heads there straightaway as well.
After Jesus’ second announcement of what lies ahead for him … last week’s Gospel reading from chapter 8 of Mark was the first … after this, Jesus perceives that his disciples are arguing about something. And it’s a typical children’s argument … who is the greatest?
Hear Jesus’ answer to them ... a continuation of last week’s ... and this week’s ...word about the Cross:

Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.

And then ... hear some more of what he says, and watch what he does, to show them what this means:

Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”

To show the disciples what this cross-shaped living is all about, Jesus says, “take up ... welcome ... a child.”
Is this just more inclusiveness on Jesus’ part ... showing that God is impartial, equally loving, equally welcoming to men, women, and children?
Certainly.
But it’s more than that.
This child represents something larger than just itself.
For what is a little child?
One who is helpless in getting along in the world. A little child can’t work, or earn a living, or be a productive member of society.
A child ... is one who cannot be self-sufficient ... but one who is totally dependent on others.
A child ... this child ... this one Jesus holds before the disciples, and says “Welcome him ... welcome her” ... this child represents all people who can’t do or be for themselves ... those who would be labeled “drains on society” ... the poor, the powerless, the orphaned, the widowed, the sick, the suffering, the helpless, the hopeless.
And Jesus says, if you want to be great, you must welcome those who are such as these. You must serve those who are such as these.
You see ... this faith, this life, in Jesus’ name ... it’s not at all about rough and ready individualism, I’ll do for myself and you’ll do for yourself, and if you can’t do for yourself, well, tough ... no, it’s all about that dirty word in today’s world:
SUBMISSION.
Submission to God.
Submission to service to others in Jesus’ name ... and which others? The ones who are unable to ‘make it on their own.’
“Submission” is a dirty word today because it implies that there is a force, a command, one to be obeyed that is larger than our own selves ... “submission” is a dirty word to those who hold to “you need to do it on your own” worldview because in that word, through that concept, the individual cannot reign supreme.
When Jesus commands submission to God … he means that this faith, this life, it’s not all about ‘me’ ... it’s all about ‘we’ ... and who we really are ... sinful and unclean people who clamor for ‘me first’ at every turn ... fighting over ‘who is the greatest.’
But Jesus calls us to be people who SUBMIT TO GOD ... he calls us to confess our sins, to hear the words of forgiveness, to be baptized in the flowing streams of living water which flow from the heart of our God who welcomes helpless sinners in Jesus’ name ... Jesus, who invites them, invites US to come and eat, come and drink, come and dine at his table of love and life, and then, to go forth and welcome as he welcomes, to serve as he serves, to live as he lives ... the cross-shaped life ... into the world he submits himself fully to God, to suffer and die on a cross, and to be raised again to new life ... the same life he promises to all who set aside their, our own selfish self-hood, who SUBMIT TO GOD ... who, through Christ’s word and will and way alone, become CAPABLE PEOPLE in his eyes.
Capable ... for living, and loving, and serving, in his name.
Again ... just as last week ... this Word of the Cross ... maybe, perhaps, likely, it leaves you shaking your head.
“Well, if you want to get ahead in the world, you can’t live like that. If we want to have a successful, productive society, we surely can’t live like that.”
And yet, this is precisely where God is calling us ... God’s definition of capable, productive, successful ... Holy Submission.
Less and less me, more and more we.
In the name of Jesus.
The one who lived this blessed nonsense of coming, living, loving, suffering, dying, rising again. For us.
The blessed nonsense which saves us ... which saves the world.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.