Dr. Ozzie Smith on "The Woman Less Listened To"

The Rev. Dr. Ozzie E. Smith, pastor of Covenant United Church of Christ in South Holland, IL, responds to this week's Day1 sermon: "The Woman Less Listened To," by the Rev. Dr. David von Schlichten.

Amen, Pastor von Schlichten! What a tasty word--what a message! Proverbs 9 is one of my favorites simply because Wisdom and Folly share the same greeting--"Come in here all who are simple." This message breaks down Jesus' bread of life sayings in John 6 for this week that the disciples and others termed a hard teaching.

Pastor von Schlichten's use of Mae West's flirtatious greeting is priceless--we do like fast and seductive food that makes us sick with heart- and hope-burn. It is refreshing to know that Wisdom gladly welcomes us back to the 7 pillars of common sense and good mother wit.

I recall sitting in church for years never hearing the messages being preached, but I believe that Eugene Peterson would shout on this one! The messages I heard were above-knee "wah-wah" stuff--like what Charlie Brown, Lucy, and the gang often heard from the adults in their world.

Pastor von Schlichten is right when he says that not all preachers deliver with clarity, but the Word is still being served for ears that can hear. Faith still comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Thanks Pastor von Schlichten for a Charlie Brownesque below-knee wonderfully creative hearing of a powerful Word from an oft-ignored messenger, Woman Wisdom. Thanks Day1 for the lift!

--Ozzie Smith