Boasting

 DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

BOASTING

1 Cor 1:26-31

26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God — that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.   31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."  

NIV

Has boasting infiltrated the church? Perhaps the fact that some believers that have been called are wise by human standards and therefore they cannot help themselves boasting about their academic achievements or their worldly wisdom. But the fact is the post-modern church is not like that church in Corinth. Although there was wise men, scholars and philosophers for Greece was the center of culture and education, they were not the ones God called.  However, Paul also made that point about how they are foolish to God. So why then would a believer in the post-modern church who had the opportunity to be educated in according to the standards of this world, want to boast? They know, as we all do, that all we have, all we are, and all we do is completely dependent on the Lord. However, maybe those with that worldly knowledge are not aware it is the Lord who choose the foolish things of their world to shame the wise. There is one thing to have head knowledge, but that does not always translate as wisdom. Knowledge is available through many sources in this world, but there is only one source for wisdom. Some have said that wisdom is what gives them the ability to apply their knowledge. But Paul is saying the it does not require that foolish standard of knowledge to attain wisdom. For God chose the lowly, that is those without the degrees from the world, or the wealthy, to shame the wise. But the simply people, the average people who are not wise or knowledgeable by the worlds standards and called them into his wisdom, and thus they only one they can boast in is Jesus Christ. We understand this for we did not become anything successful in the world. We have lived a below average childhood, I speak personally, as I did not know Christ, nor his salvation. I lived a nomadic life with our parents moving ever year it seemed. My future was glim, with no hope of gaining any success in this world. Yet, one day, in my adult years, Christ called me to himself. Since then my life has been changed with being filled with the Spirit, who influences my life. He has brought about my learning, my gaining strength in this life and it is all due to Christ. Therefore if I am going to boast about anyone, it is not going to be me, but I can only boast in the work of Jesus Christ  for me, in me, and through me. Any of the worldly knowledge that I did attain, became rubbish, because all that I am, all that I do, Christ Jesus is totally responsible for. It is Christ who I boast in.