Listen

Look at your situation when you were called, brothers and sisters! By ordinary human standards not many were wise, not many were powerful, not many were from the upper class. But God chose what the world considers foolish to shame the wise. God chose what the world considers weak to shame the strong. And God chose what the world considers low-class and low-life—what is considered to be nothing—to reduce what is considered to be something to nothing. So no human being can brag in God’s presence. It is because of God that you are in Christ Jesus. He became wisdom from God for us. This means that he made us righteous and holy, and he delivered us. This is consistent with what was written: The one who brags should brag in the Lord!

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Think

Once I was part of a church that was convinced it was special. The members of this church thought they were different from other churches, and they truly believed that no other church was as good as theirs. But fewer and fewer people participated in this church with each passing year. As members died, the church family got smaller and smaller. The remaining church members were convinced that their church was the greatest of all, yet no one else in their city seemed to agree.

According to Paul, the church in Corinth was different. Not many of those church members were wise, powerful, or wealthy. They were a very “average” church. Yet their mediocrity turned out to be their superpower: because the church in Corinth was weak, there were plenty of opportunities for God to be strong.

God wants us to use the talents, wisdom, and strength that God gives us, but ultimately, we don’t walk in God’s way through our own power. As individuals and as the church, we follow God through the power of Jesus which is at work in us.

Andrew Garnett

Question to Ponder:

Do you ever feel pressure to prove yourself—at school, sports, or online?

Pray

Mighty God, thank you for the abilities that you have given me. I pray that these talents would not make me boastful, but that I would remember the power of Jesus that works in me. Amen.

Go

Go to live in the love of God, the way of Jesus, and the peace of the Holy Spirit.