The Foolish Things of the World
It is not easy living in a world in which success is standardized. I admit that I often become frustrated. Last night at work, a co-worker and I were having a conversation about what criteria lead to promotion. I told this co-worker that I was Associate of the Year last year, but I have been passed up for at least five or six promotions. I was even told I interviewed well for one position for which I was never interviewed.
Last night on Facebook, I had a conversation about grades in schools. As unschoolers, we do not grade - unless my sons request a grade. I was asked a common question - "What about college?"
We are in such a mindset in today's society that we have to measure success the way everyone else measures success. If we rebel against this mentality, how will we ever survive? How will we make it in a culture that uses these definitions of success?
Isn't it appropriate that this morning for our housechurch, we began a study of I Corinthians? Now, mind you, we did not plan this study. In fact, we just decided this morning that we should go to I Corinthians - mainly because our last New Testament study was Romans. I Corinthians comes next. But when I began reading from I Corinthians, I saw these conversations from last night.
Think about it:
God chooses the foolish things of this world. Even the cross of Christ is contrary to the world's wisdom.
Who of you were called out of something great when Christ called you?
Stop trying to pattern yourselves to the world's standards of greatness.
In one of my recent communications classes, the textbook we studied mentioned what businesses usually look for in people they promote. They look for people with a certain image, a certain look. They look for extroverts. They look for certain personality types.
Thankfully, these are not the things God looks for.
The Corinthian church had fallen into the trap of Americanized Christianity. Or rather, Americanized Christianity has fallen into the same trap into which the Corinthian church had fallen. They were following men rather than following Christ - and going to the point of dividing themselves based upon which teachers they followed. They were looking toward the world's definition of success rather than God's definition.
I can understand why the Corinthian church did these things. When this type of "wisdom" is a way of life it is difficult to stand up and say, "This isn't right." It's difficult to be looked down upon as foolish or not quite making the grade. Sometimes it's easy to slip into the prominent mindset. I, for one, am thankful for God's reminders.
Last night on Facebook, I had a conversation about grades in schools. As unschoolers, we do not grade - unless my sons request a grade. I was asked a common question - "What about college?"
We are in such a mindset in today's society that we have to measure success the way everyone else measures success. If we rebel against this mentality, how will we ever survive? How will we make it in a culture that uses these definitions of success?
Isn't it appropriate that this morning for our housechurch, we began a study of I Corinthians? Now, mind you, we did not plan this study. In fact, we just decided this morning that we should go to I Corinthians - mainly because our last New Testament study was Romans. I Corinthians comes next. But when I began reading from I Corinthians, I saw these conversations from last night.
Think about it:
God chooses the foolish things of this world. Even the cross of Christ is contrary to the world's wisdom.
Who of you were called out of something great when Christ called you?
Stop trying to pattern yourselves to the world's standards of greatness.
In one of my recent communications classes, the textbook we studied mentioned what businesses usually look for in people they promote. They look for people with a certain image, a certain look. They look for extroverts. They look for certain personality types.
Thankfully, these are not the things God looks for.
The Corinthian church had fallen into the trap of Americanized Christianity. Or rather, Americanized Christianity has fallen into the same trap into which the Corinthian church had fallen. They were following men rather than following Christ - and going to the point of dividing themselves based upon which teachers they followed. They were looking toward the world's definition of success rather than God's definition.
I can understand why the Corinthian church did these things. When this type of "wisdom" is a way of life it is difficult to stand up and say, "This isn't right." It's difficult to be looked down upon as foolish or not quite making the grade. Sometimes it's easy to slip into the prominent mindset. I, for one, am thankful for God's reminders.
Comments
Post a Comment