Why Not


I had a conversation this past week with a friend about moving up in the organization that he works for.They had received an "atta boy" award at work and I mentioned to them that they should ask to move up to management. The response was something to this effect,"they probably wouldn't want me with all I've done." I said "why not?" They kind of hemhawed(good southern word lol) around and said something like "oh i don't know, they just wouldn't." It brought a verse to mind.


26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 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, 28 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, 29 so that no man may boast before God.
1 Cor 1:26-29 (NASB)


You know God views things a little differently than we do doesn't he? I saw a note in my Bible from I don't know when. It was at the beginning of the 18th Chapter of Acts.


1 After these things he left Athens and went to Corinth.
Acts 18:1 (NASB)


If you read the 17th Chapter of Acts, you will find that Paul was in Athens and he disputed with them over a period of time and ended up on Mars Hill preaching Christ crucified. You will also find out that the Greeks placed a very high value on the attainment of knowledge. You remember all those Greek scholars from school? Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, pretty heady company in the eyes of the world. And indeed they were. Athenians were highly educated but their intellectual arrogance resulted in their missing the message of "Christ crucified."


18 And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some were saying, "What would this idle babbler wish to say?" Others, "He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,"—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.
Acts 17:17-18 (NASB)


In vs.32 the Bible says that they "sneered" at Paul. Jesus became "foolishness" to the Greeks and to Gentiles in general.


22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,
1 Cor 1:22-23 (NASB)


In the end Paul departed Athens, never establishing a church there and he never returned. You see the Athenians were too smart for their own good. Amen? Ronnie, are you saying that you are against having a good education? Absolutely not. Get all the education that you can, especially if you are just starting your journey. It will serve you well in this life.BUT,..BUT and here is my point. God doesn't need your education or lack thereof to make something of you. Hear me! The world may place a high value on a piece of parchment but God doesn't need it!! AMEN??!! As a matter of fact God takes GREAT PLEASURE in showing up the world's systems by taking a nobody and making something out of them. Look again at those verses. One by one.


26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;
1 Cor 1:26 (NASB)


"...not many wise....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,
1 Cor 1:27 (NASB)


"...chosen foolish things.......chosen weak things..."

, 28 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,
1 Cor 1:27-28 (NASB)


"...base things...and the despised God has chosen..."


It's not JUST the average Joe Blow or the Ph.D that God desires to use.(though He does) It is the BASE THINGS, THE DESPISED of this world that really gets Him excited.
That sound like you? Maybe,maybe not. But,listen to me,you may have screwed up in the past... Maybe you're not very well thought of, maybe people think you are crazy, maybe you're in a jail cell or a homeless mission; maybe you don't have the education or maybe you just don't think that people will give you another chance,maybe,maybe, maybe.YOU are EXACTLY who God is looking for, no maybe's about it.

HEAR ME! God is chomping at the bit to pick you up out of the ditch, save you through Jesus shed blood,clean you off,dust you off and SHOW YOU OFF to this world. You feelin me on this? All the world wants to do to you is mock, ridicule and beat you down. But, God wants to raise you up and BLESS you! You just let those "athenians" keep sneering at you for whatever reason. You are just DUMB enough to take God at HIS WORD!AMEN!! He will shame the strong things of this world on YOUR behalf. He will take your weak, uneducated, despised self,.. raise you up and BLESS YOU! All you need do is shout YES LORD! Amen and Amen. As Brother Mushegan used to say "I have preached myself happy!"


4 Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalms 37:4 (NASB)


God Bless