Liturgy: “Salt and Light in the City”

What is the King’s Liturgy? King’s Liturgy defines our experience together as a Christian community. It outlines the rhythms we celebrate with the Church at large: Scripture readings, Sabbath habits, and celebration of Holy Days and historical events.

This Week’s Lectionary Readings

Proverbs 1:20-33
Psalm 19
James 3:1-12
Mark 8:27-38

This week’s liturgy is contributed by Dr. Paul Mueller, assistant professor of economics:

“Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks.”

Are you listening?

New York City has a way of capturing your attention. It offers almost anything you could want: Money, Power, Fame, Entertainment, Arts, Culture, etc. There is energy and life and movement at any hour of the day. The “noisy streets” from which wisdom cries could be Broadway or Greenwich, Albee Square or Fifth Avenue.

What is it that wisdom says? She tells us to leave our foolishness, our complacency, our scoffing, and our ignorance—the way of the world—and instead choose life. She warns us that calamity awaits the fools who run after what the world has to offer. They will be crushed when they fail in their audition, when they are laid off, when the stock market plunges thousands of points as it did a decade ago during the 2008 financial crisis. But those who follow wisdom will dwell securely. They will know God’s provision, even as the rest of the world panics.

Jesus reiterated this teaching with his disciples: “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?” We need to have an eternal perspective even as we engage in the nitty-gritty of living in the world day to day. God’s Word, the soul of wisdom, teaches us how to do that.

I find that challenging. Often selfish ambition and desire for applause are what drive me to work hard. I want to succeed and excel at everything I do for my own glory. The solution to my wrong motives, however, is not to cease working hard or trying to succeed, it is to change my focus to Christ and his kingdom. Such a change broadens our conception of work to include relationships, charity, community, and devotions. We honor God by working hard, but He is the one who makes us successful.

But we will also find, as we orient our life towards God’s calling, that we may need to do less of one thing in order to do more of something else. For me, it means less research and more time with my children; fewer events and more dinners with my family; less public speaking and more interaction with members of my church.

Wisdom arises from obedience. There are no shortcuts or alternatives. If we don’t heed wisdom’s call and live by God’s word, may be wise in our own eyes, but true wisdom, and the blessing that comes with it, will elude us.

Questions for reflection:

Are you striving to be successful on God’s terms or on the world’s terms?

How might you be compromising in pursuing excellence on God’s terms?

Is God calling you to sacrifice certain worldly success or honors in order to love your family, your friends, or your church community better.