Verse of the Day - 1 Corinthians 1:27-29

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. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things -- and the things that are not -- to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.
~ 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (NIV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On one episode of my now-favorite TV show (Extreme Edition: Home Makeover), a teenager with cerebral palsy showed me and the world that God not only doesn't abandon the weak, but He lifts them up as precious and beautiful and of great value. The mom said that when you look at her son, how can you not smile, because he is smiling all the time. God has given this boy, who in the eyes of the world could be considered a cast-off and certainly not someone who could teach us anything about anything, a beautiful spirit and a love for family and baseball and plenty of other things. Though he cannot talk or walk or even sit up by himself, he communicates love and joy that transcends what the world considers valuable and worthwhile.

When the news comes to parents that their child has been born with or develops a major disability, the shock is obvious. But I believe that many come to realize that they hold in their arms a treasure of great value. I have heard parents say that their handicapped child teaches them more than the parents teach the child. They have an insight, a wisdom, a love that often far exceeds those of us who are "regular". Parents of a handicapped child often feel they are the blessed ones, not those who have "regular" children...

Individuals and governments who have desired to eliminate the handicapped, either through abortion or euthanasia, don't have a clue about the sociology of God's kingdom. Their idea of perfect and desirable is flipped on its head when God's light shines on it.

"If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." ~ Mark 9:35 (NIV)

Do you think that runway model would willingly submit herself to serving the cerebral palsy girl in the wheelchair? Would she feed her, change her, bathe her, love her? No one really knows, but I do know that that is the kind of attitude we all need toward those we consider foolish, weak and lowly, because God chooses them.

God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. ~Proverbs 3:34 (NIV)

Jesus wasn't the perfect idea of what the Jewish people and the world could embrace for their Messiah. In fact, the whole concept of Christianity in many people's eyes is a handicapped religion, where Jesus is just a crutch for those who are weak and helpless. Anyone with a good sense of self can get to heaven on their own merit -- they don't need an oatmeal marshmellowy God like Jesus, who got the crud beat out of him and died like a criminal, never once lifting a single finger to save himself. That's what some people think. And those same people will stand before God on Judgment Day and boast about all that they are and how good a job they did while on earth. But they have it backward. Their wisdom is foolishness to God.

...no one may boast before Him.

Let us seek the wisdom of God in all things, which seem foolish to the world, but is the key to life.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - 1 Peter 4:8

Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. ~ 1 Peter 4:8 (NASB)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sometimes, modern translations don't quite capture the essence of a passage or concept, and this is one of them. The New American Standard Bible was originally published in 1960, and was probably one of the "modern" translations of its time, a modernizing of the ASB (American Standard Bible) which was first published in 1901. At any rate, when I look at today's verse in other modern translations, like NLT, NCV or even the NIV, they translate "fervent" as "deeply", and I just don't think that does the translation justice, with regard to how we are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ.

The Holman Bible does a better job, by saying "keep at full strength", because the word "fervent" means extremely hot, glowing, or boiling! When I read "love each other deeply", I get the sense of a quiet commitment, maybe with some tears thrown in for good measure. But to think of loving our Christian brothers and sisters like a pot of boiling water or the hot, glowing coals of a campfire? "Deeply" just doesn't say that to me. I think God, through Peter, is telling us that Christian love is to be on fire! And of equal significance is that it is intentional; hence, the verb "keep".

How many in your local church would you say you have "trouble" with, those that just grate on your last nerve, huh? Yeah, I'm sure you could name a few. I know I can, too. Well, guess what? Peter tells us to "keep fervent" in our love for them. Ugh -- do I have to? Glowing fire love for that person in my Sunday School class who always eats too much and too loud? Boiling water love for that person in the church who always comes late and leaves early, and acts like they're too good to chit-chat with anyone? Oh, Lord -- help me!

Well, that's where we need to go -- the Lord, because He can give us that boiling-up love for our brothers and sisters who don't suit us, who get under our skin. God can help us see beyond the quirks and idiosyncrasies of others, to see the soul within that He loves so dearly. Oh, and one more thing: if you're thinking you're not the irksome one to someone else, think again. We all have our quirks and idiosyncrasies that don't mesh with someone else. A humble heart and grace in abundance is needful in order to keep harmony in the family of God.

Take a step this week to bubble up with some heat the kind of love that God desires for His family. Learn to accept with open arms those who are different from you, and let God love them through you...fervently!

Love,
Joelene