For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel – not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. I Corinthians 1:17-22 NIV
God…
desires to be accessible to those who are considered fools by the people who are considered to be wise by other people. I love the repetition of this theme in Scripture. I love where Jesus thanks his Father for hiding “these things” from the “wise and learned” and revealing them to “little children” (Matthew 11, Luke 10). God is easily accessible to those who are okay with looking stupid in front of those who think they are smart. I am glad of that.
is confident. God is not an ego-maniac. I reckon if He was, He would have chosen to reveal Himself through worldly wisdom. Instead God chose to reveal Himself in such a way that He would be scorned in nearly every king’s palace. God knows who He is and is not threatened in His self-perception by how the world’s wisdom views Him.
is pleased. Don’t you love that? God is pleased to use you and me and everyone else to advance His mission in order to save those who believe. It’s incredibly good news. God is satisfied with saving us through what can seem like really foolish means. I am soooo glad!
Therefore I am….
able to access God. I have no desire to access God through the wisdom of the world. That is kind of funny for someone like me to say since I am well-educated in modern academia. However, verses that talk about God being more accessible to kids than wise and learned adults are always a great comfort to me. Simplicity and quietness are the best ways to hear that still, small voice of God. I don’t need to get a degree to do that.
learning to be confident in my identity. If God is not ashamed or threatened by looking foolish in the eyes of the smartest people on earth, why should I be? Looking silly as I follow God’s wisdom is much better than settling for the wisdom of this world.
saved. “God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe” (verse 22). God was pleased to save me. Isn’t that incredible? He didn’t do it reluctantly. He did it with great satisfaction. Today I had the pleasure of seeing a kid who was literally jumping for joy. I wonder if God was that excited the day I believed? I know He exists outside of time, so He already knew that I was going to believe. That said, is God still that ecstatic about things that happen within time even if He exists outside as well as inside of it? I bet God gets that happy even if nothing can surprise Him.
What do you think? How do you imagine God expressing His joy?
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