The Wisdom reading debunks the harsh image people have of God. But, this God loves all that exists, and ‘holds nothing …..in abhorrence.’ God loves each person even those considered loathsome. What a difference it would make if could see each person and living things through the lens of God’s love - whether in terms of our criminal justice system; detaining innocent and vulnerable people in detention centres; providing proper services to the aged, people with mental illness or disabilities; the funding of armaments; and, allowing the big polluters of our environment continue!

‘Faith is always supposed to make it harder, not easier, to ignore the plight of our sisters and brothers. (Robin R. Meyers Saving Jesus from the Church: How to Stop Worshiping Christ and Start Following Jesus, p. 165)’. Again, the scriptures reinforce God’s partiality toward ‘the oppressed...orphan...widow and the lowly.’

Again, a figure from the peripheries of society offers a lesson. She finds her voice and speaks up for herself. She is prepared to say what ‘she wanted whether she got it or not, because saying it was how she remembered who she was. It was how she remembered the shape of her heart…’ (Barbara Brown Taylor ‘Bothering God’ in Home by Another Way).