Stewards of Wisdom

The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. Luke 2:40

When a child is born into a family there is usually a response of joy and delight. Not only is there a new life in the world, but a new generation had been added to the family tree, another branch has been added to the web of relationships that enriches the whole family. There is much to celebrate.

And so often older family members tell the newborn things like: “I can’t wait to teach you to play baseball and root for my favorite team”; or “Someday you and I will go hiking together and you will see how beautiful the world is”; or “When you’re a little older we can read together – all of the stories I loved when I was little.” Parents and grandparents, and aunts and uncles want to share something of themselves and the things that bring them joy – even when the child is years from being able to understand what is being said to them. But it’s a way of welcoming the child into the family circle and passing on the values that are important to them.

When Mary and Joseph took the six-week-old Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem he had a different sort of welcome. They were there to offer the traditional sacrifice in thanksgiving for a first-born son: “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons”. It was the offering of a poor family, rather than sacrificing a lamb. There was nothing to indicate to anyone on the Temple staff or any of the other worshipers in the busy Temple precincts that this particular baby was anything special. There would have been no air of greatness about him, and yet Jesus was welcomed in a most extraordinary way.

Two elderly, devout people – Simeon and Anna – were prompted by the Holy Spirit to go to the place where Jesus was and recognize him as “a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to God’s people Israel” and the “redemption of Jerusalem”. In other words, Jesus was the One who was the fulfillment of all they had hoped and prayed for. Anna and Simeon – ordinary, faithful people – recognized and welcomed Jesus as the Messiah.

They knew all this because they had spent lifetimes of prayer and reading Scripture and holding God’s promises in the center of their hearts. They were ready, when the Spirit prompted them, to move and to act to welcome the Christ Child, even though he was the one who was most truly at home in God’s Temple.

Anna’s and Simeon’s responsiveness to the Holy Spirit was a measure of wisdom gained from their years of focused attention on God. And the words they proclaimed, words of praise and prophetic truth, are still with us today: “My eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel”. Yet these words were not without pain and heartache, as Simeon made clear to Mary.

Luke goes on to tell us that when all was said and done, Mary and Joseph took Jesus home to Nazareth, and “the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.” Much more than the offering of pigeons or turtle-doves, the thanksgiving and praise to God offered by Anna and Simeon, the words they invoked over the Infant Jesus, and the thoughts planted in the minds and hearts of Mary and Joseph must have had a profound effect, as Jesus grew in strength and wisdom and God’s favor.

One of the important roles of a church community is to act as Simeon and Anna did, to be the stewards of wisdom for the next generation – for babies and children, certainly, but also for those who are new believers, or those who have newly returned to faith or active life in church. A steward of wisdom does not have all the answers or tell people what to do and how to behave in bossy, overly directive way. But a steward of wisdom – of God’s wisdom – speaks and acts from their long experience of God’s love and faith in Christ, in order to be a light on another’s path.

Such wisdom also enables us to see in a young child, or a new believer, or someone who has been trying out the congregation, the gifts and blessings the God has already instilled in them – the image of God implanted in each person. Once we see those gifts and blessings, we then can encourage and nurture them to grow and flourish, through our prayers, our example, and our relationships with them.

That is what we commit ourselves to whenever there is a baptism and we are asked: “Will you who witness these vows do all in your power to support this person in their life in Christ?”, or at a wedding when we are asked: “Will all of you witnessing these promises do all in your power to uphold these two persons in their marriage?” In both cases the congregation answers: “We will”. That’s a promise’ one God expects us to keep.

Being a steward of wisdom and faith is a spiritual vocation, for the blessing of others, for the good of God’s People, and for the building up of the Church.

Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Victoria Geer McGrath
All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Millington, NJ
Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ
February 2, 2025