Rev. Michelle Manuel and Quentin Manuel

1 Corinthians 1:20-25
20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Reflection:
It seems more and more difficult to find wisdom in the world today. Access to foolishness is much easier. This has probably always been true, but in our golden age, foolishness is readily accessible in the palm of our hands via phones, keyboards, remote controls, etc. I’m not proud to admit it; I am well acquainted with foolishness (I hope none of my foolishness ever goes viral). I’d like to think those days are far behind me, but if I’m not careful foolishness weasels its way back into my heart, mind, and actions.

In 1 Corinthians, Paul acknowledges that there are some people in the world who are “wise.” He argues that the cross does not appear wise in the eyes of the world and that crucifixion does not appear miraculous. Thus, Jews and Greeks are both alienated by their abhorrence of Christ’s death—Jews alienated as they waited for a “parting of the Red Sea” moment, and Greeks alienated as they looked for military and political dominance as a sign of salvation.

Sounds a bit familiar. Try as we might to remain wise and stay there, we can innocently (and not so innocently) find ourselves in foolish places—arguing with someone on social media, judging someone harshly for believing differently than we do, idolizing those who promote foolishness with their speech and actions (even in the name of God). Friends, I have found myself in such foolish places in the blink of an eye. Thank God for grace and repentance.

Thankfully, God did not make “being wise” a prerequisite for salvation. We don’t have to possess some secret knowledge about God, as some ancient teachers in the marketplace of ideas in Corinth put forward. Instead, God did something so astonishing that it seems foolish in the eyes of humans—self-sacrifice, humility, lowliness, submission. God sent God’s only Son to be crucified on a cross to restore us back to right relationship with him. This doesn’t look like wisdom! Who in a business deal acts self-sacrificially? Who humbles themselves when the stakes are high? Who submits to the will of the Father even when we don’t end up on top? The hope of the world was abandoned to torture and death. The light of the world sealed in a tomb… willingly. This is all foolish when seen through the lenses earthly power.

But the resurrection of Christ transfigures that foolishness for those of us who believe.

In believing that Christ’s life, death, and resurrection have restored me to right relationship with God, God has made a “foolish” way (to the world) for foolish people. Wisdom might not come easy for some, but we were all equipped to believe. We all have access to this transforming and salvific love of Christ. I don’t have to be wise; I have to believe. For in believing, we are joined to “the foolishness of God,” which is “wiser than men.” In trusting in the power of the resurrected Christ, we are joined to “the weakness of God,” which is “stronger than men.”

Closing Prayer:
God, I am grateful for your free offer of salvation. I pray that, daily, I would believe it and receive your love, mercy and grace. In so doing, may I walk in the foolishness of the cross, showing the world the power of a life transformed.