Wednesday 4 December 2013

God's "Foolishness"

Read: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. (1 Corinthians 1:25)

One of the overarching themes in the narrative of Jesus’ birth that has always both moved and intrigued me is, frankly, how bizarre, by human standards, the way in which God chose to send His Son into the world to save humanity was. This aspect of the Christmas story is beautifully and powerfully expressed by the group 4Him in their song, “A Strange Way to Save the World”  Written from Joseph’s perspective as he watches ‘his’ newborn baby sleeping and suddenly being overwhelmed with the certainty that he and Mary had indeed become the ‘parents’ of the Son of God, the song expresses Joseph’s natural human bewilderment at the incomprehensibly “strange” ways of God:

Why me? I'm just a simple man of trade.
Why Him? With all the rulers in the world.
Why here? Inside this stable filled with hay.
Why her? She's just an ordinary girl.
Now I'm not one to second guess what angels have to say
But this is such a strange way to save the world.

It seems to me that, in addition to expressing how “strange” (and “foolish”) God’s plan to save the world appears from a human perspective, the lyrics of this song also highlight God’s propensity to, as the Apostle Paul puts it, “[choose] the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, ... and the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27). For those of whose disabilities can often push us to the margins of a society that seems to be inherently able-ist in its attitudes and actions, the “strangeness” of God’s delight in choosing the weak and foolish things of the world to shame the wise and the strong should come as both an encouragement and a call to be constantly ready to be used of God in surprising ways.

Father God, Thank you for Your creative “foolishness” in sending Your Son into the world to become our Saviour. When we are made to feel insignificant because of our physical, emotional, or spiritual weakness, please remind us that You specialize in using the week and the foolish to accomplish Your plans. Help us be ready to take on whatever mission You have for us.  In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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