Turn Right

Rev Amanda Kemery

Inspired: Wisdom Stories

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 & “Woman Wisdom” from Book of Belonging

Based on the book Inspired by Rachel Held Evans

The Weight of Choice

Do you ever get decision fatigue? I mean, truly—exhausted by the sheer weight of having to choose, even something simple? I know I do, and I think we all get decision fatigue sometime.

For example, I can make a fairly accurate prediction of how my daughter, Emmie, is feeling based solely on whether she wants to pick out her own clothes or not . If the answer is yes, she’s excited and ready for the world. If the answer is no, buckle up—the tank is empty.

I get it. We have so many choices to make every single day :

• What’s for dinner?

  
  

• What do you want to watch?

  
  

• How should I respond to that email?

  
  

• Which moisturizer has the right amount of retinol?

  
  

• What do I do about that text I got last night?

  
  

• Is today the day I need to say something?

  
  

By 10:00 AM, most of us are already mentally limping from decision-making . Wouldn’t it be great if we just had an instructional manual—a clear, concise, bulleted list that tells us exactly what to do and when to do it?

The Bible is Not an Owner’s Manual

You might say, "What about the Bible?" I do think we are supposed to turn to the Bible when we have a question, but for concrete answers and easy checklists? Ha! Have you read this thing lately?

Today we’re looking at Wisdom literature: Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and the Psalms. The problem is, if we’re turning to this literature for an easy how-to guide, we aren’t going to find it . Rachel Held Evans reminds us that using Scripture like an owner’s manual, based on a few verses here and there, will likely leave you more lost than found .

It’s like programming a destination into your GPS and then ignoring your best instincts as it cheerily tells you to take an exit you know you shouldn’t . When we try to turn the Bible into a GPS that bypasses our God-given conscience and lived experience, we can end up underwater.

The Bible isn’t a single book; it’s a library . The Wisdom books especially are less like a manual and more like a late-night college dorm room debate . As Evans puts it:

“God gave us a cacophony of voices and perspectives, all in conversation with one another, representing the breadth and depth of the human experience in all its complexities and contradictions” .

Canonizing Contradiction

This diversity of thought is celebrated in Wisdom literature. Take Proverbs and Ecclesiastes side-by-side :

Proverbs says: "The righteous flourish and the wicked perish". It’s clean cause-and-effect .

Ecclesiastes says: "I’ve seen the righteous perish in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness" . He says everything is hevel—smoke, vapor, or breath.

Proverbs tells us a cheerful heart is good medicine, while Ecclesiastes says frustration is better than laughter .

Proverbs 26:4 says, "Don’t answer a fool according to his folly," but the very next verse says, "Answer a fool according to his folly.: The Bible, as Timothy Beal puts it, “canonizes contradiction” .

What are we supposed to do with that? Evans suggests that God did not give us an internally consistent book of answers because, together, these diverse writings avoid simplistic solutions to complex problems . God trusts us to approach them with wisdom and discernment .

Wisdom is a Path, Not an Equation

The book of Ecclesiastes is essentially a rebuttal to the orderliness of Proverbs . It names the messy reality that even if you follow God’s rules, bad things can happen . The point isn't to make us hopeless, but to show us that when we can’t make sense of the world, what grounds us is hope in God .

Once we admit we aren't in control, we stop trying to solve life like a math problem . Wisdom isn't an owner’s manual; it is a path. In Proverbs alone, the words "path" or "way" show up nearly 75 times .

Wisdom is the "way" you walk with God, and because it’s a path, it is situational . It’s about knowing not just what is true, but when it’s true.

Finding the Next Right Step

As we watch the violence, dehumanization, and injustice in our country, how do we decide what to do? What is the next right step? Unfortunately, it depends on who you are and where you are.

There is one right direction—the way of peace, abundant life, and justice for all—but there is more than one way to get there. This means you have to listen for God. We have to be willing to pray, listen to different voices, and change our minds if God reveals a new need.

It is okay to try something different. Depending on the season, wisdom might look like:

• Speaking louder or speaking more gently

  
  

• Doing more or doing less

  
  

• Standing your ground or getting out of the way

  
  

• Getting mad or letting go

  
  

Wisdom in Seeking

Wisdom happens in the seeking. It is a journey of humility and faithfulness that we take together, one step at a time . Often, that means trusting Wisdom to lead us to a "turn"—to change direction and discover something new .

God has promised to keep speaking and guiding . No matter the season, God’s voice will keep leading us toward peace, life, and justice.