Christ, the Wisdom. of God

Creation: A Divine Cycle
The Birthing of a New Community

Freedom in Christ

1 Corinthians 1:18-25. The Message

18-21 The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It’s written,
I’ll turn conventional wisdom on its head,
I’ll expose so-called experts as crackpots.
So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn’t God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered dumb—preaching, of all things!—to bring those who trust him into the way of salvation.
22-25 While Jews clamor for miraculous demonstrations and Greeks go in for philosophical wisdom, we go right on proclaiming Christ, the Crucified. Jews treat this like an anti-miracle—and Greeks pass it off as absurd. But to us who are personally called by God himself—both Jews and Greeks—Christ is God’s ultimate miracle and wisdom all wrapped up in one. Human wisdom is so tinny, so impotent, next to the seeming absurdity of God. Human strength can’t begin to compete with God’s “weakness.”

For Reflection

In today's world, by God's standards, we seem surrounded by crackpots.  They are quite persuasive.  Their use of fear as a motive for action is compelling, especially for those who are not confident that God is really in charge. Because they are not as compelled by common place seductions, the ideas and action of those who are authentically centered in God are often seen as naive and are summarily dismissed as absurd or dangerous.

But, that's the way it is with God.  Universal human wisdom is not God wisdom.  Criticism is the price we pay for being authentic Christians. Thinking and acting in a way that is different from common practice takes courage and a strong commitment to and trust in God.


Pray

Pray for courage in the face of pressure to conform to the commonplace. Pray for abiding commitment to God's will for you and for all of humankind. Pray that you will listen to the Holy Spirit who resides in your soul.  Pray often and be embolden in God.