When You Think About It

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;

but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,

and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 

so that no man may boast before God. 

But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,

so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”

Other translations start this verse like this: Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. You know what it is? It’s grace. This is how we can look back at what we were and look back in awe. We are no longer the people we once were. Much has changed. God changed us. Circumstances have shaped us. Lessons have corrected us. Obedience has moved us and it’s all been by grace. Without it we would not be where we and be able to look back on our journey with gratefulness.

Paul says that we were not wise, influential nor were we born with all things just right. He has taken our foolishness. He has taught us and used our willingness to learn from Him and have confounded the wisdom of this world. None of it makes any sense. We really should not be successful at all – but God helped us. We are no longer the weak – strength has become our portion. Considered of no consequence, we are no longer of shame – shame has turned into joy. A part of our story – evidence of things that once were but no longer hold us back. Wow! How far we have come and how much has changed.

To God be the glory. None of it was our own doing. It’s all because of Him. He has walked a walk with us. He has been the patient Father and the avid coach. His Spirit has worked with us. Time and obedience have moulded us into looking more like how He sees us than how the world sees us. Of ourselves we could do nothing. We would not have survived the change. So, if there were a reason to boast it will be a boasting in the Lord. All honour and worship to our God. For without Him we would be nothing. Nothing at all.

Leazille Pretorius