"But God Has Chosen the Foolish Things..." (Part 1)

“For you see your calling brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the mighty…” (1 Corinthians 1:26-27 NKJV)

    I love these verses because it states that all can find/access God. We don’t have to worry about whether we were born with great knowledge and wisdom, or had wealth with which we could readily attain these through higher education. We needn’t concern ourselves with class or caste systems where birth locks us into a societal category of standing. We don’t have to work ourselves to death in the gym to gain might and strength. No, because God chose simple things so that we would glory in Him – His wisdom, His majesty, His power and might – and not glory in ourselves.

“Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, not let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands Me, that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness in the earth. For in these I delight,“ says the LORD.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24 NKJV)    

    God made mankind so that we might seek Him and find Him (Acts 17:26-27). He calls us through the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14) out of the darkness of sin and into His marvelous light (Acts 26:17-18, 1 Peter 2:9). The gospel was preached by simple men: fishermen, tentmakers, tax collectors. It was recorded and preserved on papyrus and it is now in something completely common, accessible, and simple: a book – the Bible – most every household may already have one. Side Note: Consider that the New King James Bible is written at about a Grade 7 reading level, making it accessible for reading and comprehension for most everyone aged 12 years and older.

    Our responsibility is simply to submit to His Word and way. To read/listen/hear the gospel message (Romans 10:17), to believe it, and to humbly obey God’s instructions (Mark 16:15-16, Acts 2:38, James 1:25) all the days of our life (Matthew 10:22, Revelation 2:10)!

    If the Lord wills, next week we will look closer at the “lowly” things God has chosen and how through them He has provided us all access to hope through Jesus, His Son!!