Brothers, think about your own calling. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is nonsense in the world to make the wise feel ashamed. God chose what is weak in the world to make the strong feel ashamed. And God chose what is insignificant in the world, what is despised, what is nothing, in order to destroy what is something, so that no human being may boast in God’s presence. It is because of him that you are in union with Christ Jesus, who for us has become wisdom from God, as well as our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, “The person who boasts must boast in the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Think about your calling, who you are, where you have come from, your roots. It is clear from Paul’s comments in these verses that most of the Corinthians were not nobility, not up there with the philosophers not the power brokers of Corinth. Like the Roman church it seems, there were many of the lower class. Paul does not say that there were none of the wise, the mighty, and noble called. There were Crispus, and Sosthenes, rulers of the synagogue, and Gaius a rich hospitable man (See Bible Gems 297), and Erastus the chamberlain of the city (See Gem 298), and it may be some others of a like or better position in life; but there were not many of them. As Jesus said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than a rich man to enter heaven. The same applies to the powerful as well as the rich. The Corinthian church attracted the down and outers as well as those in positions of influence. God chooses the things that we would shun to show His glory. He chooses the weak to confound the wise. He chooses the insignificant to challenge the significant, the despised to humble the esteemed. Why? Paul says it clearly in this passage. SO THAT no human being can boast in God’s presence.
How could God do it the way He has? None of us would choose this way. For each of us I suspect it would be a matter of grandstanding. Making the grand entrance, sweeping aside the opposition in a display of strength. But God doesn’t do it that way. He humbled himself to the point of death on a cross. Just thinking about that ought to make us stand in awe of His methods. None of us can boast that we have given anything to God. Everything we have said or done, thought or imagined palls into insignificance when we consider how He stooped down to our level. It reminds me of what I told you in the Gems of John (Bible Gem 6) God came to His own and when they rejected Him He allowed it. (John 1:11) Staggering. God captures our attention with the staggering immensity of His grace toward us. He has given us everything and then stood back and given us free will.
He chooses human weakness to reveal His strength. All he requires is that we boast in Him; give Him the Praise. He is everything and we are nothing. When we get that right it all fits into place. So many of us boast even in the gifts He has given us. It makes no sense. Everything is His and whatever we have is just on loan. There is no basis for boasting but we humans find a way. To our folly. The person who boasts must boast in the Lord. The Corinthian Christians put the emphasis around the wrong way it seems. When you have been down and out and have been raised up to the highest place there is no room for boasting. Make sure you keep things in perspective.
Remember that God owns everything. Your name may be on the account, but don’t get any wrong ideas.
Bob Gass
God is your source. You don’t have a thing He didn’t give you.
Bob Gass