Daily Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:21 For God’s wisdom ordained that the world, using its own wisdom, would not come to know him. Therefore God decided to use the “nonsense” of what we proclaim as his means of saving those who come to trust in it. 22 Precisely because Jews ask for signs and Greeks try to find wisdom, 23 we go on proclaiming a Messiah executed on a stake as a criminal! To Jews this is an obstacle, and to Greeks it is nonsense; 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, this same Messiah is God’s power and God’s wisdom! 25 For God’s “nonsense” is wiser than humanity’s “wisdom.”
And God’s “weakness” is stronger than humanity’s “strength.” (Complete Jewish Bible).
Philippians 3:3 For it is we who are the Circumcised, we who worship by the Spirit of God and make our boast in the Messiah Yeshua! We do not put confidence in human qualifications, 4 even though I certainly have grounds for putting confidence in such things. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for putting confidence in human qualifications, I have better grounds:
a. 5 b’rit-milah on the eighth day,
b. by birth belonging to the people of Isra’el,
c. from the tribe of Binyamin,
d. a Hebrew-speaker, with Hebrew-speaking parents,
e. in regard to the Torah, a Parush,
f. 6 in regard to zeal, a persecutor of the Messianic Community,
g. in regard to the righteousness demanded by legalism, blameless.7 But the things that used to be advantages for me, I have, because of the Messiah, come to consider a disadvantage. 8 Not only that, but I consider everything a disadvantage in comparison with the supreme value of knowing the Messiah Yeshua as my Lord. It was because of him that I gave up everything and regard it all as garbage, in order to gain the Messiah 9 and be found in union with him, not having any righteousness of my own based on legalism, but having that righteousness which comes through the Messiah’s faithfulness, the righteousness from God based on trust. (Complete Jewish Bible).
Reflection Questions: Late in The Greatest Showman, vandals burned down the building that housed Barnum’s circus. In the wreckage, Phillip Carlyle said, “You know, Barnum… when I first met you… I had an inheritance, acclaim, an invitation to every party in town. And now, thanks to you, all that’s gone. All that’s left is friendship, love, and work that I adore. You brought joy into my life.” Lettie, the bearded lady, added, “Into all our lives.” Doesn’t that sound like what the apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians about how making Jesus his Lord had changed his life?
- A friend of Donald Miller said to him, “There is this part of me that wants to believe…. I feel as though I need to believe…. But it is all so completely stupid.”* It’s true—human wisdom wouldn’t invent a God like the God of the Bible. God in Jesus many times reversed the values of our broken world. In what ways has the “foolishness of God” changed your world and you for the better? The Church of the Resurrection says you don’t have to check your brain at the door, it’s okay to ask tough questions, and faith runs deeper than a few pious sayings. What are some of the toughest faith questions you’ve had to face?
- Paul said he came to see all his human credentials—his top-notch rabbinic education, his renown as a religious leader, his respectability and status—as “sewer trash” compared to the value of knowing Jesus. Of what achievements, degrees or awards, if any, are you particularly proud? Would you rank knowing Jesus above them or not? Why or why not?
* Donald Miller, Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2003, p. 53.
Sydney is the summer intern in the Women’s Ministry at Resurrection Leawood. She will be a junior at Indiana University majoring in Journalism/Public Relations and Contemporary Dance, with a minor in Strategic Communication. She loves to read, spend time with family, and watch way too much of The Office.
In my life, comparing myself to others is just a daily routine. As I scroll through Instagram and Facebook, I’m bombarded with my friends' photos of beautiful vacations, announcements of perfect grades, and updates on new internships. While these are all great things, it makes it extremely challenging for me to not focus on these outward achievements. Having these constant visual reminders about what everyone else is accomplishing takes a toll on my self-worth.
When I focus on these worldly achievements, it results in feelings of doubtfulness, envy, and pain. It provokes me to question if I really trust in God’s plan for my life, and makes me wish I could have someone else’s status or lifestyle. This perspective eventually leads to me wondering: will I ever be good enough?
Philippians 3:3-9 talks about our human desire to trust in our own righteousness. Maybe if I could just get these grades or have these friends, I would finally be worthy. But in order to fully trust in God’s righteousness, I need to surrender my desire to offer an abundance of worldly achievements to Him. When I put my faith in the Lord, instead of feeling doubtful and envious, I’m led to being more trusting and full of peace. I’ve learned that my worth comes from the unfailing love of God, not from anything I could accomplish on this earth. This is something I am definitely still working towards, but the next time you are scrolling through social media, I encourage you to not concentrate on these worldly credentials, but on your worth in Christ.
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Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011.
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