Lent 2010 #36

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

18 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. 19 For it is written:

      "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
      the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."

20 Where are the wise? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 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. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

26 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. 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 God 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 those who boast boast in the Lord."

THOUGHTS:

Jon Foreman calls us "The Church of the dropouts, the losers, the sinners, the failures, and the fools." Throughout the New Testament we are called to forget every law that society has taught us--every iPod commercial and body-image-centric magazine--and to take up the cross. When Jesus was crucified, the cross didn't mean glory; it meant death and torture, but most of all, utter humiliation. It was heavy and victims were forced to carry it the longest path to their final resting place. Jesus' crime read simply, "King of the Jews," and he was nailed, naked and exposed before all, between two rebels.

This is our image of mercy and love and salvation: our mighty King killed the way of dropouts, losers, sinners, failures, and fools. Once a symbol of shame, the cross has become our greatest comfort.

I found myself coming to God during the same time I was finding out that I was gay. While I was finding that I was something that by societal means is despicable and foolish, I was being called into that very body that so publically abhors me and yet was experiencing God's indiscriminate love. It was humbling. It is humbling. It's my cross to bear. So daily I lift this heavy cross as the outcast and the despised. Likewise, Paul tells us, we all come from humble origins of sorts. Each of us has our cross to bear, that which separates us from each other and from God. And so we come humbly to the Lord, so that none of us can boast except in Him.

PRAYER:

Lord, we come to You on our knees, a people weary from status and rules and ostracism. As we carry each our crosses, lift us not into shame but to Your eternal glory. 

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Thoughts by Sarah, student at George Mason University involved with Lutheran Campus Ministry

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These devotions for young adults are provided by:

Lutheran Campus Ministry at George Mason University http://www.gmu.edu/org/lutheran

Lutheran Student Association at the University of Maryland http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~lutheran/lsa/

DC Young Adults http://www.dcyoungadults.org/

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