Inspiration & Worship

Foolish Things

Christians shouldn’t elevate people above God, but we do it routinely. Politicians, celebrities, religious leaders and friends often influence us more than God does.

This shouldn’t be the case. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” is the first of the 10 commandments. Seeking God in scripture and prayer requires intentional effort; being persuaded by people is easier.

When the Apostle Paul learned believers were being influenced and divided by eloquent leaders in Corinth, he asked them to unify by focusing on the gospel alone.

“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 foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” – I Corinthians 1:17 and 25.

We should not be impressed by human charisma but by God’s truth alone, he said.

“When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.” – I Corinthians 2:3-5.

Influential people can have trouble accepting the Gospel because they rely on their love of self more than love of God, he said.

“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.’” – I Corinthians 1: 26-31 ❚ Janine Pumilia