Week 32: Foolish Enough to Follow

This week's Bible reading plan is as follows:



*Sunday: Ezra 1:1-2:70; 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5; Psalm 27:7-14; Proverbs 20:22-23
*Monday: Ezra 3:1-4:23; 1 Corinthians 2:6-3:4; Psalm 28:1-9; Proverbs 20:24-25
*Tuesday: Ezra 4:24-6:22;n1 Corinthians 3:5-23; Psalm 29:1-11; Proverbs 20:26-27
*Wednesday: Ezra 7:1-8:20; 1 Corinthians 4:1-21; Psalm 30:1-12; Proverbs 20:28-30
*Thursday: Ezra 8:21-9:15; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Psalm 31:1-8; Proverbs 21:1-2
*Friday: Ezra 10:1-44; 1 Corinthians 6:1-20; Psalm 31:9-18; Proverbs 21:3
*Saturday: Nehemiah 1:1-3:14; 1 Corinthians 7:1-24; Psalm 31:19-24; Proverbs 21:4


Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:20-24
"So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world's brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it's all nonsense. But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God."

Observation:
Paul's statement in verse 21 jumps out at me: the world will never know him through human wisdom. Human wisdom, in fact, is utter foolishness. There's a strange irony here. To those who consider themselves wise by the world's standards, the message of Jesus Christ dying on the cross for the salvation of human beings appears as nonsense. To those whom the wise of the world consider foolish, the message of the cross makes perfect sense. Jesus Christ is both the power and wisdom of God!

Application:
I am sometimes embarrassed when the world makes Christians out to be stupid and crazy. Some of the criticism is well deserved. There are times when my brothers and sisters in Christ do and say things that strike even devout believers as far-fetched and bizarre. But at the end of the day, there's no getting around the fact that the world will always judge faithful Christ-following as foolishness.

When I make it my goal to look intellectually respectable to an unbelieving world, I am guilty of idolatry. I fight a losing battle whenever I try to make Jesus look credible to those whose pride has sealed them in unbelief. Jesus does not want me to dress him up like a philosopher or guru. He wants me to be proud of him just the way he is. And he wants me to be proud of the fact that I am his, no matter how many people think I'm crazy or stupid.

Today, I will make it a point to consider myself proud to be counted among the foolish. And I will hold out hope that there are still countless others in this world that are crazy enough to join me!

Prayer:
O Lord, I am yours and you are mine. Thank you for making the truth of your salvation available to simple-minded people like me. I count it an honor and privilege to be called a fool for Jesus Christ, and I pray that you will help me stand strong and to be a light to others whom you've blessed with enough foolishness to follow you. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen!

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck