How to make sense of our lives (Jer 9:12-26)

When disaster strikes, whether on a grand scale (e.g. war, earthquake, flood) or on a personal level (illness, loss of a loved one, misfortune), the most commonly asked question is ‘why’. Why, God? Why me? Why now? Why this? When we look back on the twists and turns of our lives, at the pain of what was lost, the thwarted hopes, the dreams that never happened, we may carry those questions with us. While there is not always an answer to these, it is important that we do not miss the clues God gives, when He does want us to understand certain aspects of our lives. Learning and growing through events always involves some engagement and interpretation of what happened. Often, when the why is obscure, it is still possible to ask what may be learnt from incidents, how the particular choices we have made affected the outcome. All this takes wisdom, and the question our passage poses is: what kind of people do we need to be to understand and respond to events with wisdom (Jer 9:12)?

What it takes to be wise – God’s Word

For Israel, what triggered the questions was the devastation of the land, the exile and the deaths of many (Jer 9:12, 19, 21-22). Sadly, nothing short of such a disaster could jolt them out of complacency. So, what tools did they have for understanding? First, the beginning of this process involved hearing God’s Word (Jer 9:13-16; whether through the Word preached by the prophet, or directly from the written law as was available to Israel). The Lord did not hide the truth from His people, it was accessible to them in the very law that they delighted in (Jer 8:8). It is likewise true today that what we need for understanding and wisdom is made available to us in Scripture, but it takes a particular kind of attitude and attentiveness to God to hear His truth. People who are proud or complacent do not submit to Scripture but choose what appeals, ignore what is uncomfortable, or twist the interpretation to their liking.

What it takes to hear God’s truth – humility

Although the call to employ professional mourners, as was common in that culture, and to be involved in the wailing and mourning for what was lost (Jer 9:17-21) seems an interruption in the flow of thought, there is good reason to include it here. Namely, grief can deconstruct pride. Those who mourn are broken, they acknowledge that they cannot control their loss. It confronts them with their lack of self-sufficiency, the very opposite of the confidence and boasting that was Israel’s stance for so long. Of course, proud people may respond in anger and be unwilling to accept their vulnerability. In fact, initial rage is a common reaction to feeling helpless. Nevertheless, giving voice to the reality of being powerless could be the first step towards a humbler attitude.

Trust in the character of God

This train of thought is made explicit in the next section where the Lord clarifies that the truly wise do not boast of (i.e. take pride or trust in) their wisdom, power or wealth (Jer 9:23). These are all aspects that express self-reliance and human achievement.[1] Rather, the solid anchor of a wise person is in the relationship with God, specifically in understanding His true character that involves His lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness (Jer 9:24). The first is about loyal love and grace in the relationship, the second explains why God has to discipline and judge and the third means being faithful to obligations set out in a relationship (the sense of righteousness in the OT).

We may not always understand why things happen in our lives and not every disaster is an indication of God’s judgment either. Nevertheless, the Lord helps us to come to wisdom through seeking Him in Scripture with a humble attitude. Ultimately, knowing God’s character as loving, just, and utterly committed to us in the relationship can help us rest even in uncertainty when the whys of life are hidden from us.

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[1] The next section on physical circumcision expands this point (Jer 9:25-26). Israel took pride in this sign of their relationship with God, but their hearts were unfaithful to Him (‘uncircumcised’). The neighbouring nations listed here also practised circumcision (though for them it meant a rite of passage into adulthood or a step of preparation for marriage). The point is, it is possible to have a physical mark on the body without the spiritual commitment to God and in such a case circumcision is of no value and makes no difference to the judgment that comes. Paul uses this OT distinction between physical symbol and spiritual reality in Rom 2:25, 28-29; 1 Cor 7:19.

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