breakthrough: being smart is for the wind

Jesus doesn't need me to be smart.

That was a new thought for me. 

And when He kept bugging me about this, my conscience knew that it was true.

And after I believed it, I felt relief.

Our world today tells us that you will succeed if you know a lot.

You will be respected if you strive after it's knowledge.

People will admire you.

He doesn't need me to be smart.

In fact, He calls the weak and the foolish to follow Him.

"But God chose what is foolish of the world to shame the wise;

God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong." **

The wise of the world do not understand this.

"For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing..."

Jesus doesn't need a genius.

"For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, 

and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."

He needs people who are so utterly dependent upon Him and His wisdom, 

That they have nothing to boast about in themselves.

They have no knowledge of their own.

They have no wisdom of their own.

True followers of Jesus are those who have offered up to Him their earthly wisdom.

And you know what?

He turns it into foolishness.

"Where is the one who is wise?

Where is the scribe?

Where is the debater of this age?

Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?"

This is what it means to "deny ourselves and take up our cross".

We put to death the old man.

The *me* that thought I was so smart (or was going to be one day).

The *me* that believed *I* could make a difference in the world.

The *me* that knew if I kept reading more books, studying, etc. I would *succeed*.

THAT man, in me, I put to death.

Just as Jesus did also.

"He was crucified in weakness..." [2 cor. 13:4]

He made Himself weak.

He surrendered Himself.

When you embrace the weakness of the cross, 

you receive the power of Christ.

When you embrace the foolishness of Christ,

you receive the wisdom of God.

"...so that no human being might boast in the presence of God."

But so often I cower. 

I wish to keep my own knowledge AND get His.

"Whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it. 

But whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."

I can't look back on what I'm losing,

but only look ahead at what I'm gaining.

Isn't Christ Himself more desirable then all the wisdom of this world?

So, all this...

it's all for the wind.

It's all going to vanish. All.

What gain is it to me if I understand all, 

but lose my very soul?

**quotes from 1 Corinthians 1