A Christian perspective on culture.

If the message that Jesus taught, and Christians believe is true, it must be relevant and it must be liveable in today’s world. It must help explain and speak into our culture and it must have an opinion. Our culture is very complex – being affected by lots of factors that shape the way we think and live. Literature and the arts are a key element in this paradigm shifting mass, and there are few bigger names in the literary arts world today than John Grisham.

We are going to look at the key to the success of John Grisham through the diagnostic tool of the bible, looking for clues to explain his success and to think about what success really is. But first…

Who is John Grisham?

Born to a construction worker and a housewife, John Grisham grew up dreaming of being a professional Basketball player. Like many budding young sports men and women, the day came when he woke up and he realised he was never going to make it - so he did something else. He became a lawyer, practicing criminal law for 10 years.

In 1984, during one particular court-case he overheard the harrowing testimony of a 12 year old witness and was inspired to write a novel based on some of the “what if’s” of the case. Getting up at 5am every day he wrote his first novel during the first a couple of hours of the morning before going to work, finally finishing “A time to Kill” 3 years later. At first it was rejected by a number of publishers but eventually bought by a small publisher who printed 5000 copies.

The day after completing “A time to Kill” he started work on his next book, “The Firm” which on completion was bought by Paramount Pictures for $600,000 and turned into a film. The rest is history.

With over 110 million books in print he is the greatest law thriller writer of all time, with the personal fortune to go with it. Currently he writes for 6 months of each year, lives on his ranch in Mississippi and does very few interviews.

If John Grisham is one thing – he is a success.

But there is more to John Grisham than meets the eye (or the publisher). Because he seldom gives interviews, unlike other superstars, few people discover the real John Grisham, but as we shall see, what makes him tick is clearly hinted at in his novels.

• He is a committed family man, owning and running a number of baseball fields in his own ‘backyard’, and coaching a number of children’s teams.

• He is married with 2 children.

• He and his wife Renee have an awful lot of money – John sold the movie rights to his first novel “a time to kill” for a reported $6,000,000.

• He is also involved in church mission trips – He says “I love Brazil and I go there often. I've been several times with church groups, and our mission each trip is to build a small chapel for a local congregation, and also to provide medical care to the sick. It's always satisfying. Of course, it provides a rich landscape for the fiction.”

• They have set up a foundation to oversee their giving. “The bulk of it goes to church and related activities” (to which “the kids say, ‘Look, don’t give it all away!’”)

• They “measure the success of the year on how much they give away”.

We are going to consider the key to success by trying to answer 3 questions.

1. What is the key to success?

2. How has John Grisham has been successful?

3. How we can live lives that are successful too?

The key to success - Proverbs 3v1-13

The book of proverbs is a book about wisdom.

“The purpose of these proverbs is to teach people wisdom and discipline, and to help them understand wise sayings…”1v2

When we think of wisdom we think of owls with spectacles – but when the Bible talks about wisdom, it is talking about far more than knowledge or understanding. Defining wisdom as just knowledge is a little like squeezing all the juice out of a lemon. What you are left with is the peel and pith - dry, empty, and good for nothing. Real wisdom is talking about practical stuff - about how we get on with living our lives well - how we live successfully. Defining wisdom correctly will move the goal posts of our understanding of success - which is narrow and generally related to money and power to a success that is a life lived wisely. Real success in life is a life of wisdom

And this is what we really need and want isn’t it. As individuals we have the desire to do something significant with our lives. Now that might mean being a successful wife or husband, a successful Father or Mother. It might mean the desire to be to be a successful friend, Doctor, teacher, business woman, fireman – but we all want to succeed at what we do.

The same can be said corporately – we here at Bethany City Church want to be successful as a church. We want to be a church who is “building a community who aim to live and love like Jesus and get the people of Sunderland into heaven.”

How do we do that?

How do we achieve the macro – the big picture? Before anything else we must remember the big picture is made up of small pictures – a successful church is made up of successful people – people of wisdom.

So what does that look like?

Let’s read Proverbs 3:1-13 to see what this looks like as we consider 5 statements.

1. Take what God says to heart (3v1-2)

In the life of a successful person, the life filled with wisdom, God is listened to and what he says is taken to heart.

I’m sure you have experienced times when you have known someone is listening to you, and I mean really listening. They look at you intently, almost staring. You can see the cogs going, the brain processing what is being said. You can see it, almost feel it sinking in. It is a satisfying yet intense feeling and that is what the wise person is like when it comes to listening to God.

Is that you – or are you looking around for something more interesting to think about? If so, you are not storing it up in your heart – and that is not wisdom. But listening to God and taking what he says to heart leads to a “long and satisfying life”. It is easy to get very spiritual about this – but think practically a minute.

I once went white water rafting on the Zambezi river in Zambia. Prior to the rafting we were taken through various safety procedures and techniques for effective rafting – this included explaining what to do if the boat capsized. One rapid in particular called the ‘Three sisters (or 3 little pigs) required following precise directions about where to swim if we capsized. Our guide was saying to us, do as I say and you will have the ride of your life, don’t and ……well, it might not be so much fun…! (We did capsize and I was very obedient!

Listening to God can and does lead to safety, security and longevity in this life. Following the Bible's instructions about drugs, sexual behaviour and friendship are all proven to make sense and work in life.

The meaning behind the meaning

But the Bible writers also knew that in this life it doesn’t always work out like that – they began to understand the meaning behind the meaning. Listening and taking to heart what God is saying means that we begin to understand both the meaning of this life and the key to everlasting life – a relationship with God, only through Jesus.

And whilst we are thinking about it, just a quick note. We will see this pattern often. As we read the Bible, the meaning behind the meaning is as important for us to understand as what we can see at face value. God isn’t promising a long life to all who take his word to heart – most of the disciples, and Jesus himself died in the prime of life – early if you like. We must search deeper for the reason – and find it in God’s eternal kingdom – but more about that elsewhere

So, firstly, people who are wise take what God says to heart

2. Take people to heart (3v3-4)

Secondly, they take people to heart too. Those who are wise are loyal, faithful and enduring in friendships. Real wisdom is shown in love and kindness to others.

Because of course, wisdom without love is not wisdom at all. It’s like the squeezed out lemon – useless. Without love we extract all the goodness, all the love faithfulness and perseverance – all the practical stuff, and all we are left with is a dry, useless wisdom that is the domain of the exclusively intellectual. Real wisdom in life shows itself in love and faithfulness.

But why is this? Well, the writer tells us, it is because “Then you will find favour with both God and people, and you will gain a good reputation.” (v4)  It is not rocket science!

Having a good reputation is not a wrong thing, it is a mark of a life of wisdom. Finding favour with others, contrary to popular opinion, is a good thing and a result of a life of wisdom. Being well respected, treating people well and with dignity and honour is wisdom – living a successful life as God intended. And as we do this we will find favour with God too.

So, who tests your loyalty and kindness? Who needs a friend? Who are the friends in whom wisdom would tell you to invest time, energy and love. Locate them and then love them. Some of the most successful people are those who get the least recognition, they are just good friends.

3. Believe God with all your heart (3v5-6)

Wisdom also looks like believing God with all your heart, and it is no mistake that it doesn’t say “with all your mind”. Living wisely, as we have already seen, is all about what consumes your heart.

Believing God leads to a dependence upon him in all that we do. It means the opposite of trusting we can work things out for ourselves, depending on our own understanding.

Practically, it means taking God at his word and doing what he says. It means deciding to be obedient, even when it looks like it will end in embarrassment and humiliation. And it means leaving the consequences to him. And when we do this he will direct our paths leading to peace (3:1)

Now, just to be clear - it is not saying, don’t try and think things through and make wise decisions. Please don’t fall into that trap! God has given us brains to utilise, not neglect. But when you do make decision, don’t act independently of God and of his working in you. Acknowledge him in it!

So, what is happening in life that feels out of control? How can you trust God with that? Do it…now!

4. Control your money (3v9-10)

The fourth mark of a life lived wisely is much more easily seen. Control your money. You can’t get much more practical than that, both when Proverbs was written (around 1000BC) and today.

We have been considering John Grisham. We might say “well it is easy for John Grisham to not worry about his money and give large chunks away – when he’s got millions! He’s got all that he needs and more.”

It is interesting that the writer of Proverbs doesn’t develop at this point what he means by “honour the Lord”. He seems to hint at a giving away of some it to those in need, to honour him with “the best part of everything your land of produces”(v9). We think of giving away as somehow losing out on something that could have been ours – but the writer seems to be thinking of it in a different way. Look at what the Lord will give you when you honour him with your wealth (v10) - now that is real wisdom!!! That sounds too good to be true! Give a way a little, get more back – simple economics…

But does it really mean that?

The Bible is clear – God is no man’s debtor. At face value it may mean that he will repay us many times more that we have given him. That is certainly the testimony of many who have given sacrificially to those who are in need.

But just as before, the meaning behind the meaning is crucial.

Jesus says to his disciples “sell what you have and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven have no holes in them. Your treasure will be safe – no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it!” (Luke 12:33)

Practically honouring God with our wealth will be rewarded – either in this life or the next. The Bible is not about a gospel of physical prosperity in this life – a gospel that means all Christians are rich and healthy. Discovering the meaning behind the meaning leads to an understanding that some will be entrusted with lots – others little. But we all have a glorious future to look forward to that is guaranteed, a reward that nothing can take away.

Are you honouring God with your wealth? Or are you living a life lacking wisdom?

5. Welcome discipline (3v11-12)

Finally – A life lived wisely is a life that embraces discipline. Any parent fully understands this. Children are corrected appropriately because they are loved by their parents. To not do so would be to harm the child.

And so it is with God’s discipline – he teaches us lessons, lets us make mistakes to learn from, he allows us to go through hard times so we will learn how to trust him. (Hebrews 12:3-11)

Have you ever done that? When you are going through a tough time have you ever asked “what is God teaching me through this?” It is much easier to do after the tough time has resolved, but what about now – in the middle of a struggle? God loves me, so what is he teaching me?

So, these are the criteria for judging a successful life – a life wisely lived.

A heart inscribed with God’s words – eager to listen and respond and trust God. A heart that is loyal, kind, and generous and doesn’t despise correct rebuke and discipline.

How are you doing?

Because God is clear – “Happy is he person who finds wisdom and gains understanding.” (v13) This is real success; to be aimed at, longed for and lived for. And it leads to true happiness. Not a cheesy grin, but a settled contentment in this life, and certainty and joy for the next.

Having answered our first question, how about the second.  How has John Grisham been successful?

From a first glance – he is hugely successful. He has a huge ranch, he only works half the year, he has sold 110 million books and is a household name. He has an enormous personal fortune. He is a success.

But what makes him a success is not these things. He is a man driven not by the desire to succeed in the writing business for the sake of it, but he seeks to live a successful life, driven so it seems (I really can’t judge), by the criteria of success we have been thinking about in Proverbs 3.

We have already seen that he measures success by how much he can give away – seeking to “honour God with your wealth”. He spends his money on mission trips, on building buildings for those who can’t. He shy’s away from the limelight and helps children in the community.

We see from the pages of his novels that concern for people is more valuable than any amount of money. The hero’s of his books are the people who act with wisdom, those who have a concern for honour, for kindness and faithfulness, people who have learnt from mistakes.

And Grisham’s relationship with God is paramount. He says "I came under conviction [of sin] when I was in the third grade, and I told my mother, I don't understand this, but I need to talk to you. We talked and she led me to Jesus. The following Sunday I made a public confession of my faith. That was the most important event in my life."

At one point this spills through into his writing. In “The Testament”, what drives John Grisham peeks through the pages with more clarity than anywhere else.

“With both hands, he clenched the back of the pew in front of him. He repeated the list, mumbling softly every weakness and flaw and affliction and evil that plagued him. He confessed them all. In one long glorious acknowledgement of failure, he laid himself bare before God. He held nothing back. He unloaded enough burdens to crush any three men, and when he finally finished Nate had tears in his eyes. ‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered to God. ‘Please help me.’

As quickly as the fever had left his body, he felt the baggage leave his soul. With one gentle brush of the hand, his slate had been wiped clean. He breathed a massive sigh of relief, but his pulse was racing.

He heard the guitar again. He opened his eyes and wiped his cheeks. Instead of seeing the young man in the pulpit, Nate saw the face of Christ, in agony and pain, dying on the cross. Dying for him” (The Testament – pg 333) ¹

Please here me right, I am not praising John Grisham as an unusual man, an angel. Sure, he is unusual in that he has sold 110 million books – but his life is a success for very different reasons - a life marked by wisdom regardless of status, money or fame.

We might be at the start of this journey. It starts with a recognition of our weakness and need for forgiveness by God for the life we have lived without him. We find that forgiveness in the death of Jesus on a cross 2000 years ago – just like Nate in the reading.

But for us all – it should lead to a life marked by wise living – a truly successful life. A heart inscribed with God’s words – eager to listen and respond and trust God. A heart that is loyal and kind, generous and doesn’t despise correct rebuke and discipline.

So, here is a challenge. Try these

1. Resolve to make listening to God a habit – something that we will delight in and dwell on – storing his word in our hearts. Perhaps do that daily. There are things that can help – daily Bible reading notes for example.

2. Resolve to develop a sense of loyalty, commitment and care for someone close to you. Perhaps a next door neighbour or friend, or even to your church itself. If this is what you know you should do, if you felt a prod in your heart as you have been reading – do it!

3. Resolve to commit to God, try to find out what he wants and do it for a particular area in your life. Is this is important for you, have you had a nudge as you have been reading. Turn that area into an area for prayer – and learn to pray and then leave it with God.

4. Resolve to handle your finance and material possessions in a way that shows God that you honour him. Give more, tighten the purse strings a little in some areas. Consider hard how to do that. If that involves your church, have a word with your treasurer – they will love to chat with you!

5. See discipline as a learning process. When you are going through tough times, rather than complaining, ask “What is God teaching me, and how is he changing me through this.”

This is wisdom. This is a successful life. Right John…?

¹  The Testament, John Grisham, Arrow Books 1999, pg 331