February 24, 2014

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. - 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (NIV)

Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don’t see many of “the brightest and the best” among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. - 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (Message)

This weekend working the Emmaus Walk, there was the widest array of social class of pilgrims I've ever seen on a walk.  But I can honestly say that each person had a platform, an influence that was theirs.  One such young man, a man who is a part of a program called Celebrate Recovery, sang a solo a cappella that was inspirational.  He used who he is, what he has experienced including his mistakes, to leave an influence on the group.

Here in 1 Corinthians, the Scripture is deliberately instructing us that our calling to Christ and to His work has absolutely nothing to do with our physical class, or body, or education, or abilities.  It even suggest that God picks those with less to do more so those with more can look past the physical and see the spiritual power behind it.  I specifically like how the NKJV version of verse 29 says that this is done so "that no flesh should glory in His presence." 

When I teach, do I think I can do so because I have experience or because I have that ability?  If so, I need to be corrected and make sure I know I can do it because God has given me wisdom to interpret His Scripture, courage to accept an invitation to the work, and a voice to speak with.  And I need to be thankful that God has provided an opportunity and considers me worthy to do it.  May no part of my flesh seek glory in His presence or in His work.

But I need to know that I can be used, failures and all, to have an influence on others for His sake.  Whatever the platform God presents to me, I need to be certain to use it, and not let my fleshly doubts get the glory and keep me from using it.  But that He should get the glory through my courage to stand and proclaim His good news.