Don't Leave It Too Late
Sermon
There was once a managing director of one of our great British institutions. He had started his business life as a member of a Quango, so had never been elected. But he had been to the right school and he'd gained a degree from the right university and he spoke up rather frequently at meetings of the Quango, so he became known as a 'good chap'. He'd moved on to the boards of one or two companies (his father was in business) and in his early forties was considered to be such a bright hope that he was chosen as Managing Director of a large retail firm.
His salary was in six figures, he married a fashion model who produced beautiful children and they all lived happily ever after in a mansion in the country, surrounded by high brick walls with razor wire on the top. The house had all the latest alarm systems and CCTV coverage so that the family were never bothered by unwelcome callers. The man hired a chauffeur who drove him wherever he wanted to go so that he never had to rub shoulders with ordinary people.
Well, hardly ever. There was some sad down-and-out who was clearly on drugs and who insisted on sleeping in the doorway of the firm's showcase store no matter how many times he was moved on by the police. Infuriatingly, the managing director sometimes had to step over the down-and-out to get into his own store.
One day, at the age of only forty-eight, the managing director had a heart attack. It may have been a result of his sumptuous life-style or it may have been because of his genes. Sadly, despite the best doctors that money could buy, the managing director died.
To his surprise, the sunbeam bearing him to heaven seemed to be travelling further and further away from the pearly gates. He could see St Peter in the distance, but couldn't get near him. He noticed that St Peter was talking to someone at the pearly gates, someone who looked vaguely familiar, although the managing director was hard put to it to identify him. Then, with a huge sense of shock and outrage, he realised. It was that druggy from the shop doorway.
"Peter!" called the managing director, who regarded everybody as equal. "Just send that guy down here to give me a hand, would you? I can't quite seem to get the hang of it."
But St Peter replied, "No way. You had your good time on earth. Now it's this guy's turn. He can't reach across the abyss to help you, no more than you could reach across the abyss to help him, back on earth."
When the implications of this began to sink in, the managing director was horror-struck. "Well, could he just pop back as a ghost or something to warn my family? If you can't save me, at least spare a thought for them. They're completely innocent."
St Peter smiled sadly. "They have their chances right now," he said, "just like everyone else. If they don't take those chances but leave it too late as you did, I'm afraid there's nothing I can do to save them." And with St Peter, the down-and-out went into the pearly gates which shimmered slightly and disappeared forever.
This, of course, is a story Jesus told, to illustrate the need to relate to God while there's still time (Luke 16:19-31). Jesus may have been picking up on today's Old Testament reading from Proverbs, which extols the virtue of Wisdom and points out the folly of ignoring God. The writer says: "I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one heeded, and because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when panic strikes you, when panic strikes you like a storm, and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, would have none of my counsel, and despised all my reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way and be sated with their own devices."
Wisdom, who is seen as a woman, gives this chilling warning to all who are too busy with their own lives to consider God. The emphasis in the book of proverbs is on how to live life decently and properly and in awe of God. Those who do this, says Proverbs, will have a successful life and in ancient Israelite terms, that was interpreted as health, wealth and therefore happiness.
The collection of sayings which makes up the book of Proverbs come from all walks of life known at the time; from ordinary people, from the royal court, from schools, from religion and from government. There may have been a school of sages or 'wise men' who collected and wrote down the sayings.
The foolish are warned of what will happen if they continue to refuse to hear the lesson, which then goes on to detail the rewards of achieving wisdom. And the book continues on this theme for the next eight chapters, giving instructions and warnings about all different aspects of life.
This is a common theme throughout the Bible, a theme of dire warnings detailing what will happen if people continue to ignore God, followed by promises of the good things that come from making a relationship with God. The prophets all gave similar warnings and Jesus himself continued on this theme. But only in Proverbs are the warnings given by a female figure.
This personification of Wisdom begins in today's passage from Proverbs, but is then continued throughout the Old Testament. After the death and resurrection of Jesus and the experience of the disciples, Wisdom sometimes became identified with the Holy Spirit, who continues in some traditions to be regarded as the female figure of the Godhead.
Whether Wisdom was male or female or neither, her words are clear. The beginning of wisdom for all human beings is the awe of God and a relationship with God. No-one can afford to leave that too late.
His salary was in six figures, he married a fashion model who produced beautiful children and they all lived happily ever after in a mansion in the country, surrounded by high brick walls with razor wire on the top. The house had all the latest alarm systems and CCTV coverage so that the family were never bothered by unwelcome callers. The man hired a chauffeur who drove him wherever he wanted to go so that he never had to rub shoulders with ordinary people.
Well, hardly ever. There was some sad down-and-out who was clearly on drugs and who insisted on sleeping in the doorway of the firm's showcase store no matter how many times he was moved on by the police. Infuriatingly, the managing director sometimes had to step over the down-and-out to get into his own store.
One day, at the age of only forty-eight, the managing director had a heart attack. It may have been a result of his sumptuous life-style or it may have been because of his genes. Sadly, despite the best doctors that money could buy, the managing director died.
To his surprise, the sunbeam bearing him to heaven seemed to be travelling further and further away from the pearly gates. He could see St Peter in the distance, but couldn't get near him. He noticed that St Peter was talking to someone at the pearly gates, someone who looked vaguely familiar, although the managing director was hard put to it to identify him. Then, with a huge sense of shock and outrage, he realised. It was that druggy from the shop doorway.
"Peter!" called the managing director, who regarded everybody as equal. "Just send that guy down here to give me a hand, would you? I can't quite seem to get the hang of it."
But St Peter replied, "No way. You had your good time on earth. Now it's this guy's turn. He can't reach across the abyss to help you, no more than you could reach across the abyss to help him, back on earth."
When the implications of this began to sink in, the managing director was horror-struck. "Well, could he just pop back as a ghost or something to warn my family? If you can't save me, at least spare a thought for them. They're completely innocent."
St Peter smiled sadly. "They have their chances right now," he said, "just like everyone else. If they don't take those chances but leave it too late as you did, I'm afraid there's nothing I can do to save them." And with St Peter, the down-and-out went into the pearly gates which shimmered slightly and disappeared forever.
This, of course, is a story Jesus told, to illustrate the need to relate to God while there's still time (Luke 16:19-31). Jesus may have been picking up on today's Old Testament reading from Proverbs, which extols the virtue of Wisdom and points out the folly of ignoring God. The writer says: "I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one heeded, and because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when panic strikes you, when panic strikes you like a storm, and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, would have none of my counsel, and despised all my reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way and be sated with their own devices."
Wisdom, who is seen as a woman, gives this chilling warning to all who are too busy with their own lives to consider God. The emphasis in the book of proverbs is on how to live life decently and properly and in awe of God. Those who do this, says Proverbs, will have a successful life and in ancient Israelite terms, that was interpreted as health, wealth and therefore happiness.
The collection of sayings which makes up the book of Proverbs come from all walks of life known at the time; from ordinary people, from the royal court, from schools, from religion and from government. There may have been a school of sages or 'wise men' who collected and wrote down the sayings.
The foolish are warned of what will happen if they continue to refuse to hear the lesson, which then goes on to detail the rewards of achieving wisdom. And the book continues on this theme for the next eight chapters, giving instructions and warnings about all different aspects of life.
This is a common theme throughout the Bible, a theme of dire warnings detailing what will happen if people continue to ignore God, followed by promises of the good things that come from making a relationship with God. The prophets all gave similar warnings and Jesus himself continued on this theme. But only in Proverbs are the warnings given by a female figure.
This personification of Wisdom begins in today's passage from Proverbs, but is then continued throughout the Old Testament. After the death and resurrection of Jesus and the experience of the disciples, Wisdom sometimes became identified with the Holy Spirit, who continues in some traditions to be regarded as the female figure of the Godhead.
Whether Wisdom was male or female or neither, her words are clear. The beginning of wisdom for all human beings is the awe of God and a relationship with God. No-one can afford to leave that too late.
