A world of information, expert advice, and knowledge all sit at our fingertips. With all that available to us via a simple query or the use of artificial intelligence such as Chat GPT, we should have plenty of answers to our questions. But will the answers carry wisdom? I can find a world of knowledge about bees and bee stings with a few keystrokes. Wisdom lies much deeper than our quick keystroke answers. Knowledge understands bee stings, but wisdom does not disturb the hive.
Knowledge is good but only gets you so far. Folks in Florida and Virginia each have knowledge of their own environments. Floridians are well aware of hurricane season. Northern Virginians are well aware of the possibility of large winter storms. We know what to do, how to prepare, but the problem is that we do not know when or if the storms are coming. And so, we fail to prepare and can be caught unaware. The wise person is at home watching the news. The fool is looking for parking at Costco or Walmart.
One of the memorable verses from today’s gospel is: “Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Mt 25:13). I don’t think the real question is who is awake. The foolish bridesmaids fall asleep – but so do the wise bridesmaids. Everyone falls asleep. What is important is when they wake up. Who is prepared? The great English scripture scholar William Barclay wrote:
(This parable) warns us that there are certain things which cannot be borrowed. The foolish virgins found it impossible to borrow oil, when they discovered they needed it. A man cannot borrow a relationship with God; he must possess it. A man cannot borrow a character; he must be clothed with it. We cannot always be living on the spiritual capital which others have amassed. There are certain things which we must win or possess for ourselves, for we cannot borrow them from others.
Prudence is a practical wisdom honed in experience that allows a person to navigate in the real world, making the best of the daily decisions that end up guiding a surprisingly large chunk of a person’s life. Ordinary decisions that open or close doors to the future. Decisions that come before we are ready but must be made. Moments of decisions that come as silent as a whisper.
The foolish bridesmaids never caught up. In fact, they were locked out. They said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ 12 But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ (Mt 25:11-12). Such is the plaintive cry of those who thought they ought to be included. They wonder why the others wouldn’t share their oil. Why can’t the gate just be opened? Some things can’t be borrowed. Some judgments are final.
It is in the long delays that the oil runs low. What happens when the oil runs out? I would tell you that collapse in the Christian life is seldom a blowout; it is usually a slow leak. It comes from operating with something borrowed rather than possessed.
The wise bridesmaids took stock, took inventory of what they possessed. Good advice for us – to check the air pressure in our spiritual tires – see if we possess within ourselves the enduring faith, prudence and hopefulness of the promises of Christ. See if we are exercising those gifts. Or have we just borrowed these things and just used them from time-to-time?
Image credit: Greek Fresco, “Bridal Chamber”, iconreader.wordpress.com, CC-BY