Day 60, Year 1

Wisdom and Foolishness

“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise.” (1 Corinthians 3:18 NASB)

The phrase “must become” in the latter part of today’s verse literally means “must ‘became'” in Greek. Apostle Paul wanted us to demolish our prior self-misconception and view ourselves as foolish instead of wise so as to humbly seek God’s wisdom. Indeed, if some consider themselves wise in this world but do not humble themselves, but serve as church leaders, they would jeopardize others and themselves. There are already some who forcefully inserted worldly wisdom into the communities of faith, causing unbelievers to feel that there is no significant difference between believing and disbelieving in Jesus. Obviously, those leaders degrade and confuse spiritual truth, and become stumbling blocks to immature Christians. In the end, they will surely be severely punished by Jesus.

Today’s verse reminds us, “Let no man deceive himself,” that is, do not use worldly wisdom to measure spiritual wisdom, nor should worldly wisdom be replaced by spiritual knowledge. For instance, some have applied business leadership to the leadership of churches and para-church institutions. I believe this attempt is largely failing, because the mission of churches, etc. is not to pursue profits and its operation needs the honesty of people’s hearts. Having said that, it is sometimes feasible to understand worldly things with worldly wisdom.

In reality, it is difficult for those complacent about lacking wisdom to become receptive to God’s wisdom. Such people not only need to open up their inner space of mind, including memorizing the relevant spiritual wisdom but also change their habitual thinking and decision-making patterns in order to contain and apply God’s wisdom. Some might need to transition from making impulsive decisions based on personal desires to considering, researching, and praying before making decisions. Similarly, those who have previously embraced worldly wisdom and now desire to transition to God’s wisdom should step-by-step alter their thinking patterns, from utilizing worldly wisdom to following divine wisdom. This shift of inner control is a must for God’s followers, leading to a significant change in mindset. All in all, acknowledging and then forsaking our foolishness before God is essential to truly understand and receive His wisdom.

Reflection questions:

1) How much worldly wisdom do you think you possess? What eternal purposes could this worldly wisdom serve?

2) Are you willing to become foolish before God in order to receive and apply His wisdom? Why?