Unlikely Examples
Would you rather be foolish or wise?
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
Paul's letter seems to be saying it is better to be foolish than wise, low that exalted, weak than strong, poor than rich. But Paul is not talking about us. He is talking about God and how God chooses to show us what is true.
God chooses those we wouldn't expect to be examples we should follow. Why is that?
Who are we more likely to pay attention to, a wise man or a fool?
If God chooses the unlikely, He probably wants us to notice and question His choice. It is expected that the strong would defeat the weak, but not the weak take down the strong, like David did Goliath.
The unexpected is what helps us see God's choices and examples of His power. He can help anyone become more than all of us would expect, and that makes us pay attention.
If we believe that we can do anything with God's help, we can be the example.
So, don't discount as foolish those who seem so. You never know what God has planned for those we think fools.
More to come...