MARCH 12 – WISDOM AND UTTER FOOLISHNESS
DEVOTIONAL: What is wisdom?
Wisdom does not always accompany good grades. Walker Percy once said, “You can get all A’s, and still flunk life.” I can testify to the truth of that statement, and you probably can too.
Wisdom often does not correlate with financial or political success either. Newspapers are full of stories about wealthy and powerful people who were perceived to be wise, but turned out to be foolish. The core Christian belief that a crucified Christ is the Savior of the world seems like utter foolishness to many. But to us who believe, the “foolishness” of a crucified and risen Christ has the power to transform our sad and lost lives with amazing grace. Like an M.C. Escher drawing, where birds morph into fish before our eyes, Jesus the foolish stumbling block morphs into Jesus the Son of God, the window into the mind and heart of our Creator.
How much faith does it take to grasp this true wisdom of God? Just a mustard seed. Plant it in your heart and God will make it grow. Just a baby step. Put one foot forward into the darkness and God’s light will show the way.
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PRAYER:
God, I believe. Help my unbelief. Keep me focused today on the “foolishness” of Christ rather than the hollow wisdom of the world.
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SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 (NRSV)
For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,
‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’
Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
good words and it takes courage to walk the talk in a time when technology makes the wisdom of the world a constant noise in our ears …
THank you Becky – love your opening paragraph.
I so appreciate the wisdom and insights in this devotional.
God bless you sister for that massage it is really true that we called foolish people but a’m happy that God calls wise people. It costs nothing to be wise on this world and be foolish in heaven. I prefer the reverse.
Thank you for giving me a new way to see Escher’s work. I have had an interest that through your words has now been informed. peace stu