Vol. 18 No. 27 | July 11, 2016
In 1 Corinthians 3 Paul offers some solid advice to the Christians in Corinth that would be worth our consideration today.
Don’t fool yourself. Don’t think that you can be wise merely by being up-to-date with the times. Be God’s fool—that’s the path to true wisdom. What the world calls smart, God calls stupid. It’s written in Scripture,
He exposes the chicanery of the chic.
The Master sees through the smoke screens
of the know-it-alls.
I don’t want to hear any of you bragging about yourself or anyone else. Everything is already yours as a gift—Paul, Apollos, Peter, the world, life, death, the present, the future—all of it is yours, and you are privileged to be in union with Christ, who is in union with God.(1 Corinthians 3:18-23, The Message)
Our world seems enamored with acquiring and possessing knowledge. Or maybe we are enamored by the idea of having knowledge. We like to appear smart. We like for people to perceive us being intelligent, and we love it when they tell us that they think we are intelligent. Unfortunately, the knowledge we often seek is what Paul describes simply as “Being up-to-date with the times.”
In some of the posts I read on social media I think I see the desire to posts the smartest, most clever, and most intelligent comment on the events of the day, or whatever subject is being discussed.
In day to day conversations I hear people, sometimes I hear me, hoping to be considered smarter than anyone else in the conversation.
When I listen to politicians speak I feel sorry for them because of the pressure they must be under to always have all the correct answers, never admit they are wrong, and never acknowledge failure.
I have never been a fan of preachers who represent themselves as “The Answer Man” and need to be the center of attention. They know all the answers to all the questions. They even have answers to questions that few people are asking.
Educational institutions seem to thrive on promoting and expecting ultimate knowledge, achieving higher scores, and better ratings.
Do not misunderstand, I believe knowledge is important, information valuable and wisdom in essential to survival in our age of enlightenment. Education is extremely valuable. Being as knowledgeable as possible of our subject matter and reaching the top of our professional career. A verse many memorized in the King James Version says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15). The emphasis is on knowing the Word so we can best share the Word. Paul’s encouragement here and in Corinth is to be wise in God’s things, not “What the world calls smart.”
As the events of the last week unfold it seems that the “the know-it-alls” came out in mass. Each one knows all the facts. Each one knows exactly what is in the hearts and minds of everyone involved in every incident. That is until the next one comes along and proves the first wrong.
Let me encourage you, me, all of us, as we go through these times of uncertainty to seek to be God’s fools. Be aware and informed. Be as wise as you can be so you can make good judgments, offer accurate observations, but don’t get carried away. Remember: “What the world calls smart, God calls stupid.”
One good way to get to the point of being “God’s fool” is to pray for God’s wisdom. And when you receive His wisdom you no longer have to worry about all the bragging. Instead you get to enjoy “Everything is already yours as a gift.” It will be a challenge. It will be tempting to veer off into a “know-it-all” attitude. Resist. Be a different kind of fool. Be God’s fool.
Tom
A Norvell Note © Copyright 2016. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.