Brothers and sisters, 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. 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.
1 Corinthians 1:26-27

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As I read today’s scripture verse, a short conversation comes to mind. I met a very accomplished physician. He was a nice man and easy to get along with, but he was used to being the smartest person in the room. He had a pilot’s license, flew his own plane, and was in charge of his hospital’s surgical department. At one point, he declared unequivocally, “You can judge a person completely and correctly in five seconds by seeing how they are dressed.”

I, a retired public school teacher and Grandma, challenged his statement, “That’s not true. My son will stop at a grocery store, at the request of his wife, on the way home from his construction job.  He has a full beard, a man bun, and is wearing dirty old clothes. Security will follow him around the store because of the way he is dressed. But he is an honest, generous, God-fearing father and husband. He is completely misjudged because of the way he is dressed.”

The brilliant surgeon immediately put his earbuds in and completely ignored me.

The normal connotation and usage of foolish and wise are flipped in today’s verse. My exchange with this gentleman is an example of the type of wise the verse is referring to—meaning so full of oneself that someone thinks they have all the answers and their opinion is always the correct one. The shaming of the wise is coming to the stark realization that the influential person’s life, actions, words, and deeds are not the center of the universe and do not constitute the ultimate declaration of truth. The positive way foolish is used in this passage refers to the person who fully realizes they lack complete knowledge and wisdom and must rely on God for power and discernment. 

When we rely on God for supreme wisdom, then we speak with humility, knowing our insight is born from God’s whispers. We give Him glory in our spirit. We talk to people gently. We stay open-minded and exhibit empathy. We pray to God for the best words and actions. We see our own limitations because we are foolish compared to the great infinite wisdom of God.

Next Steps

Lord, I frequently speak with authority, and I know it is good. But there are times when I have a closed mind and have not considered other people and their life experiences. Please call to my attention the areas where I am foolishly wise and not living in humility with You and others. Give me Your wisdom and discernment, so I am pleasing to You and can influence others to see Your goodness and glory. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.