Chosen Wisely?

Are we wise or foolish?

The message about 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, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength. Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." - 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Nobody likes to be thought of as a fool, right?

So, upon hearing Paul's letter, the members of the church in Corinth might have been a bit insulted.  Shouldn't they have felt themselves wise for having believed in Christ?

But Paul is speaking from a place of humility.  He wants us to focus not on our strengths but on our weaknesses.

If we are honest with ourselves, we will see that what Paul says is true.  God chooses whom He chooses, not who we might choose.

And often, the one chosen turns out to be stronger and wiser than anyone would have expected, not because of his own talents or her own abilities, but because God chose to give them the wisdom and strength needed to do what God wants done.

Look at David.  He was not the largest or the strongest son, but it turns out he was perfectly equipped for the task.

We might say that about the sixth and current president of the Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.  

God, in His wisdom, chooses those among us who might be overlooked, unqualified, and least likely to be up to the challenge.  Why?

Paul says it is to shame the wise and the strong, but I think it is something bigger than that.  I think God wants all of us to know that through Him, we can and will do amazing things.

Any one of us can stand with God and be wise, be strong.  If we only believe in ourselves as much as God believes in us, we will accomplish amazing things.

Watch out Goliath.

More to come...