A Sermon on James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a

by Donald M. Tuttle

First Christian Church, Corpus Christi, Texas

Preached September 24, 2000

The picture is the type that becomes familiar during political campaigns. It was a close-up photograph of Gov. George Bush on the stump. But what garnered attention was not the photograph. It was the headline: "Is He Smart Enough to be President?"

The article came a few months ago when the issue du jour in this year’s campaign was the intelligence of the two candidates. Like most media-created issues, this one has—at least for now—faded from the scene. But the fact that it emerged reflected something about our cultural values. Simply put, we value intelligence. In our culture, intelligence, knowledge, education are considered essential. For us, it is good to be smart. And we admire folks who are, that’s why Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey make most every "most admired" list.This emphasis on intelligence also shows up elsewhere--particularly in the way we deal with our children. A few years ago a study suggested that listening to classical music could increase the intelligence of children. So more than a few parents got hooked on classics, offering Baby Bach to Baby in hopes of pumping a point or two into her IQ.

Or consider an article on the wall outside the office of our day school. It warns parents that a good day-care is not simply a watered-down elementary school. The reason such a warning needs to be offered is because many parents have been seeking academic-oriented rather than social-oriented programs so their children will have an advantage going into kindergarten or first grade.

For older children, there are tutors, extra-curricular activities and hundreds of academic-oriented summer camps they can attend and computer programs to buy.

Of course, the reason for our emphasis on intelligence is that we view intelligence as the key to success. Those with strong minds and great knowledge are those that are likely to prosper, are likely to live the good life, at least as defined in our culture.

Certainly you will not hear me arguing against education or intelligence. The Disciples of Christ have long valued the intellectual life and that is one reason I am a Disciple. But all of our societal emphasis on intelligence as the means to success seems to ignore one obvious truth—even the most highly intelligent and successful members of our culture may not be living the kind of life we would want for our children.Take Bill Gates as an example. Bill Gates is brilliant. What he has done with Microsoft is not just incredible it is utterly astounding. Certainly his intelligence has translated into prosperity. Just this week he was listed again as the world’s richest man and, of course, that provides him with a lifestyle most of us cannot even imagine.Yet what we have discovered over the last few years is that Bill Gates is ruthless. The computer business is dog-eat-dog, and Gates is a Rottweiler. He devours small companies, takes a chunk out of others and intimidates the rest. He is intelligent and prosperous, yet can we really say we admire him, the way he has treated others or the way he has succeeded?

Or consider President Clinton. By some accounts, he is one of the most intelligent men ever to serve in the Oval Office. His knowledge of almost every policy issue is said to be encyclopedic. That intelligence has served him well. It has brought him to the very pinnacle of power.

Despite all his success, his adult life has been marked by moral and ethical failures. By his own account, he has deeply hurt his family, his friends, his associates and the nation with his behavior. He’s intelligent. He’s successful. But would we want his life for anyone we really loved?

Intelligence is important. Our culture values and rewards it. But as the people of God we must not confuse intelligence with wisdom and success with the good life. They are radically different. And what we as people of faith seek is the wisdom that leads to a life attuned to God. What we seek is the true wisdom that comes from God and results in a life of peace and righteousness.

That was the point James was making. Some in his congregation had become enamored by success. They wanted more than anything to be prosperous and powerful. So they looked to the people around them for keys, and what they saw were successful people promoting their "wisdom." And some in the church began to adopt it. They became bitterly aggressive and selfishly ambitious. They concerned themselves with only what they wanted. They began to believe that arguing with others was a virtue and that if they were smart enough no one could stop them. They lied. They cheated. They stole. They wrecked the lives of those around them and trounced the faithful that they proclaimed in Jesus Christ. The results were chaos.

And James said that the problem was that they had abandoned the true wisdom of God for the so-called wisdom of their culture. They have abandoned the good life of peace and righteousness for the success and power of their day. He calls them to remember what a truly good life looks like. It’s pure and peaceful, gentle and easy to please. It’s merciful, always ready to do good for others. It’s fair and honest, treating everyone equally. The good life, James reminds us, brings peace and gives peace.In short, James urges them to seek the wisdom of God and the life that befits will follow.

And we know that to be true. All we need do is to think about those who are wise. Are they not really the ones to be admired?

Historically, this reading from James has been linked to a reading from the story of Job. You remember Job. He was a good and righteous man who also happened to be prosperous. Then one day the Tempter suggested to God that Job was only good and righteous because he was materially blessed. So God let the Tempter take it all away. Job lost his farm, his family, even eventually his health. In their wisdom, his few remaining friends suggested he confess that somehow he’s sinned and beg God to forgive him. But Job was a wise man too. He knew that their wisdom was not God’s wisdom. He knew that the righteous life begins and ends with God. And because of that, he remained faithful, he lived with integrity born of faith, he knew peace, even amid the tragedy that befell him. We end up admiring Job because he was wise, because he knew the good life.That was the way Jimmy was. Jimmy was a husband, the father of three, and a tobacco farmer. He was a very sharp man who loved to read. In fact, he would read just about anything that he could get his hands on. But it was not Jimmy’s intelligence that made him a counselor to the young seminary students who served as pastors of his little church. It was his wisdom. Here was a man who seemed to smile perpetually. Here was a man who seemed always at peace with everyone he met. Here was a man who though he was not wealthy would do hundreds of little things to make the lives of others richer. Here was a man who could look at a tough situation and analyze not through the lens of critical thinking but through the prism of God’s love. And there was not a soul in that church, or for that matter, the community, that didn’t admire him. That’s true wisdom. That’s the good life.Ruth Blass was in her 70s with white hair and a graceful elegance. Although she had been a schoolteacher before retiring and moving to Florida, Ruth was not the most intelligent person in the congregation. She may not even have had the highest IQ in the small Sunday School class that she so faithfully taught. Yet when the big issues emerged in the congregation, when people were struggling over what they should say or do, it was at Ruth’s door they would show up. She would welcome them into her modest home, offer a cup of coffee and quietly listen to their concerns. They did so because they knew Ruth was wise. They saw it in her life. She was pure and peaceful, merciful and giving. She treated everyone with respect and grace. People saw in Ruth the good life, a life not marked by the world’s success or the culture’s power, but rather by God’s peace.Of course, you know folks like Jimmy and Ruth. They don’t make the newspapers. They don’t often become famous. But they are people we admire because they remind us that wisdom is greater than intelligence and a life attuned to God is greater than prosperity or power.

As we seek to make our way in life, let’s not get confused. Let’s keep our eyes on God. Let’s keep our mind on true wisdom. Let’s keep our lives shining forth with virtue. Let’s be an example to our children and grandchildren of what it really means to live to good life, the life attuned to God.