Looking Foolish

Paul was trained in the art of enforcing the law. He was trained in the art of rhetoric – of arguing. He considered himself to be charged with a two-pronged advance assignment in the earth: instruct Israelis about the appearance of their King, and then to instruct Gentiles on the same subject. He was to introduce them all to a King Who had risen from the dead to be an Eternal King.

His strategy was very unlike the current mission of people who call themselves Jehovah’s Witnesses. Their hope is to win arguments. Paul’s hope was to prove the Kingdom.

For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

For the word of the cross is folly 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, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
(1 Corinthians 1:17-31 ESV)

How would you describe the agenda of most of God’s people who are in the earth today? What about yours? Be filled with proof, with power, and with love.