Study 40 – God's Choice – The Foolish

Maybe the story of David's call demonstrates God's grace more wonderfully than any other Old Testament figure. Samuel, the most significant man of God in his generation, came to Jesse's home to meet with his sons and select Saul's replacement as Israel's next king. Strangely, David, the youngest son, wasn't even invited to the party.

I'm too foolish
Our interview boards and industry head-hunters aren't looking for the foolish; they're impressed by the wise. That's why it's so extraordinary when the apostle Paul says, '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' (1 Cor. 1: 26,27). God's choices defy logical analysis and guesswork and open the door to many of us who would never expect to be the objects of his grace.

Many of us deplore our lack of brainpower. If we're not smart, we assume that we're automatically disqualified. But Paul says just the opposite. He tells us that the world's wisdom is foolishness to God and that he's declared war on it. 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate' (1 Cor. 1:19). So if he chooses the foolish, who are we to write ourselves off?

God chooses the foolish
Clever people are inclined to dismiss the gospel as foolishness and find it hard to accept its message. 'Do you really expect me to submit my thinking to the authority of an ancient book?' they say. 'A belief system that's centred on a cross is utterly irrelevant to today's modern society.' But those who humble themselves and embrace the gospel discover that the cross really is the wisdom of God.

Grace cuts through our expectations and teaches us that naturally bright people don't have a head start in the Christian life. In fact, God prefers the foolish. So if you're one of the few academic believers it would be easy for you to dismiss those who seem uneducated and ignorant and force your opinions on them. Remember, God hides things from the wise and learned and reveals them to little children (Matt. 11:25). So be grateful that he's chosen you, approach him always acknowledging your need of help and get into the habit of submitting your intellectual perspectives to him.

If, on the contrary, you've always despised your own insights and intellectual skills, celebrate God's wonderful upside-down kingdom. Maybe you don't have so many strong opinions that need to be jettisoned or belief systems that need to be unlearned. You find it easier than others to come to Jesus in simple faith and let him teach you. You know that the Holy Spirit will guide you and recognise that intellectual skill isn't as important as attitude and obedience to God's Word.

To Meditate On

Note how wisdom manifests itself in a Christian's life.

'Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God' (Col. 3:16).

'Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom' (Jas. 3:13).

'But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere' (Jas. 3:17).

Food For Thought

Read 1 Corinthians 1:27 and Ephesians 5:15-17.

How can you reconcile these two verses?

To Do

Read Proverbs 8 and learn verses 33-35.

To Pray

Pray this week that God will give wisdom to:
   your government
   your employer
   your church leaders
   you

Be Inspired

'Knowledge in its fullness is a relationship dependent on revelation and inseparable from character. Wisdom is for the business of living, not for an elite for the pursuit of scholarship.' Derek Kidner