Let's get silly, shall we?

The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It’s written, I’ll turn conventional wisdom on its head, I’ll expose so-called experts as shams. So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn’t God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered stupid—preaching, of all things!—to bring those who trust him into the way of salvation. (I Corinthians 1:8)

Ever wonder why I take the time to record some thoughts on my scripture study each day? It is simple - God chose scripture to fill our lives with hope, direction, and even a little laughter from time to time. I rejoice in knowing I can turn to scripture whenever I want - some don't have this privilege. I delight in discovering some 'new' truth that encourages my soul. I cry at times because of the conviction it brings into the depths of my being. I even laugh when I consider the folly of those who would challenge a holy God and expect to stand up against his power. Yes, to some the gospel message seems a little antiquated or even a little silly, but to me it is the hope of my day. How about you? Does scripture uplift you? Do you find it brings you a little conviction from time to time? Then it is doing exactly what it is intended to do!

We could look into those books in the self-help sections of our bookstores and libraries, but I have to tell you I have tried doing what some of them have proposed and haven't been all that 'helped' by their 'wisdom'. Sure, I changed a little here and there, but by sheer will-power and certainly not by the grace of God! Self-help is just that - it is your 'flawed and imperfect self' attempting to pick up some of the pieces our lives are in and put them back together. If you ever heard the nursery rhyme about Humpty Dumpty and all the kings men trying to put him back again, then you have an apt picture of what it is like to attempt to use our earthly wisdom to accomplish what only the divine can complete! 

I think God is kind of cool at times when I see how he uses what others think is unusable to do something quite amazing right in the midst of a bunch of naysayers. I also think he is wise in his choice of vessel - choosing what others consider a 'cast-off' or 'worthless' object to bring great glory to his name. Why does God choose what others might consider a 'cast-off' for his purposes? Maybe it is their availability, or perhaps it is their simple trust in him because of what they already know they DON'T possess in themselves. God isn't asking us to take only the 'strong' or 'worthy' stuff in our lives and put it into his hands for his use - he also asks us to take what we might otherwise consider 'worthless' or as worthy nothing more than being a 'cast-off'. 

The beginning of all things begins by beginning. That isn't a profound truth, but stop for a moment to consider what you have never 'begun' because you didn't know where to 'begin'. What kept you from taking the first step toward it? You didn't realize WHERE to begin or WHAT to do once you did. That's where God's truths can be most helpful - where our 'self-help' plans end and his 'wisdom of the ages' comes into play in our lives. We don't possess all the wisdom, so to exclude God's wisdom from our lives by limiting ourselves to our 'self-help' plans is kind of silly. God uses what seems like silliness to some to bring out great things in another. Ever wonder why hearing someone explain what God has revealed to them from scripture helps you to actually take the first step? It is because of the 'silliness' of sharing his wisdom instead of just our own. Just sayin!

Preach it!

Ever wonder why we have 'preachers'? Men and women, proclaiming the message of hope found in Christ Jesus - some share the message with regularity, while others are called upon at various intervals, but all 'preach' the message with clarity, certainty, and credibility. The truth is that God chose 'preaching' as the way to bring the message of salvation to a lost and hurting world - to a people with hurts, hang-ups, and habits that needed a way to find healing, deliverance, and stability in their lives. God chose what others may consider kind of silly as his means to deliver this message and he quite often chooses those who have been all bound up in their own issues to become the best of 'preachers'!

The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It’s written, I’ll turn conventional wisdom on its head, I’ll expose so-called experts as crackpots. So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn’t God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered dumb—preaching, of all things!—to bring those who trust him into the way of salvation.  (1 Corinthians 1:18 MSG)

God chose preaching and in so doing, he chose preachers. Herein is something quite remarkable - God chooses to use words to help us understand his ways. He chooses examples given in illustration as a means of grasping our deliverance. Should it surprise us that he left us with 'words' to help guide our decisions? While there could have been many other things that would serve as a means of declaring who and what God is and has done for his creation, he knows perfectly well that we connect through words. We find meaning in them and they help us to experience things at a different level.

We can get very well educated by the study of words and miss the whole meaning of the message! The truth is that we need those in our lives who will consistently bring those words to life before us until we finally grasp the meaning! We need 'preachers' of the Word and we need their consistency. We need their illustrations and we need their honesty in sharing their own struggles with the discovery of the truths they have learned in their own lives. The Word of God is not up for anyone's own interpretation, but we do need those who are willing to prepare to bring it forth in a skilled manner.

All our fancy wisdom pales in comparison to one simple message of hope spoken from a life genuinely changed by the Word of God. It seems like we are 'hard' on preachers at times. We find fault with their sermons not having enough 'variety' and some even change churches because they are 'tired of the same old message'. Let me just caution us here - the message is never old! The message is always consistent and it is always powerful when it is delivered under the anointing of God's Spirit. The foolishness of 'the same old message' is that it is the only message that is really needed! There is but ONE God, ONE way to restored relationship with him, and ONE path to 'enlightenment' - Christ Jesus. It might seem like an odd way to get that message out to us, but God chose preaching. Just sayin!