Today's Scripture:

1 Corinthians 1:18-25 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Read: Reflect on a story in your life that pertains to this scripture.
I LOVE this passage! God has made foolish the wisdom of the world! God is wiser than human wisdom! God’s weakness is stronger than human strength! The message of the cross, that God sent Jesus to save us, is foolishness to the world but to us it is the power of God!

Reflect: What is this scripture telling you during this season?
What does this mean for us today? As humans, we’ve come so far in our understanding of the world and how it works. We’ve gained so much knowledge throughout the course of history, and much of the time, we are quite full of ourselves. We can become prideful about how advanced we are and about how much we’ve accomplished. So many in our world have explained away the need for God and even His very existence. And yet, here we read that all our human wisdom is nothing compared to God’s wisdom. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, something that many in our world see as foolishness, is truly the very wisdom and power of God to save a lost world. Many today see faith in God as a crutch or as a sign of foolish ignorance, BUT GOD takes that worldly wisdom and turns it on it’s head in the message of Jesus Christ. Jesus is a stumbling block or foolishness to the world, but He is life and light and salvation to those of us who put our trust in Him. He is everything!

Respond: How is this scripture calling you to respond?
So how are we called to respond? We should live lives that preach Christ crucified, as verse 23 says. Jesus is the power of God and the wisdom of God to those God is calling according to verse 24. When we worship God with our wholes lives as disciples of Jesus and share our very lives with each other, it shows. Those around us see that we are living differently from the rest of the world. That might look foolish to some, but it is intriguing to those God is drawing to Himself. The way we, those who call ourselves Jesus’ disciples, choose to live out our faith is a witness to those around us of what God can do. The way we worship, the way we treat each other, the way we give, the way we speak, the way we rejoice, the way we grieve, the way we express anger, even the way we drive around town can set us apart as different or can show that we are just like the rest of the world. It’s a big responsibility, but we have a big God who sent His Son to save us and left His Holy Spirit within us. We can do it! We can live differently by His power!

About Traci Baudin:
My husband, Earl, and I have been married for almost 36 years. We have two awesome sons, Joshua and Daniel. Last May, Daniel married our amazing daughter-in-law, Kaylie. We are blessed!
I have been a covenant partner at Grace for almost 33 years and have been on staff for 24 years. I am the Director of Family and Women’s Ministries.