|
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 – And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
When I first went out to speak on behalf of Lutheran Hour Ministries, I had two choices. I could go out and try to look like the polished speakers I’d seen so often before at church events—you know, the kind that look like they’ve got it all together, like they have all the answers and don’t quite walk on the same earth that the rest of us walk. Or I could tell the truth and be myself—disabled, shy, not knowing all the answers, though I’m willing to look for them. I could stop worrying about what I looked like, and focus all my attention on Christ and what He did for us. And if anyone wanted to laugh at me, they could. In other words, I could behave like Paul.
And that’s what I did. I’m not going to lie, I made that choice not for spiritual reasons, but because it was obvious that I’d never be able to pull off the polished, wise look, no matter how hard I tried. I would feel like a fake, and it would show. So I asked the Spirit of Jesus to speak through me, and I went out.
And He did! And all the time, I was learning, just as the people I spoke to were learning. God brought us together around Jesus, and we all learned from Him, because He is the center of everything, as He deserves to be. Because He is the One who lived and suffered and died and rose for us all, wise or ignorant, polished or the very opposite. He’s the One who matters, the only One who can save. And when we trust in Him, we are safe.
Paul knew what I’m beginning to learn—and you, too, I suspect. He knew that it doesn’t really matter about us—our weaknesses, our wisdom, our talents (or the lack of them). Jesus can and will take anyone He pleases to be His servant, to use that person to meet the needs of the world—whether that’s a need to share the Gospel, to feed the hungry, or to fix some horrible evil like war, disease, or racism. Because what matters is not us, but God living in us, the body of Christ. If we let Him, He will do His work through us.
WE PRAY: Lord, I’m not much, but I’m Yours, and I love You. Use me however You want. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
- What kinds of things does God want done in this world?
- Where does the wisdom and power for this work come from?
- Can God work through you too? Are you willing to let Him?
|
