Today’s scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Bradley Compton):
Due to the demographic most individuals in LifeJourney’s congregation represent, I presume nearly all of us empathize with Paul when he asserts that he’s “last of all,” “untimely born,” and “unfit to be called an apostle.” Although others in your life may have unfairly judged you for simply being of this demographic, Paul’s aforementioned self-assessment is quite accurate because he persecuted the very people to whom he became a recruiter and spiritual leader. His conversion is more complex than it appears superficially. He wasn’t simply a Jewish convert to Christianity — Paul was both a Roman citizen and, as he describes, “a Hebrew born of Hebrews,” a self-righteous reactionary Pharisee who watched approvingly while others stoned St. Stephen to death and then set off for Damascus to arrest members of this blasphemous Jesus cult.
Without hindsight I see good reason to question God’s divine wisdom in calling such a man to become the fearless “apostle to the Gentiles.” With hindsight it’s hard to imagine Christianity without Paul and every detail of who he was in the context of the early church. You may have noticed a motif in God’s holy word: the least shall be the greatest and the greatest shall be the least. The powerful, beautiful angel Lucifer rebelled and was cast out of heaven; the little shepherd boy David slew the giant warrior Goliath; Jesus told the disciples that the greatest among them will be a servant; Paul reiterated Jesus and Jesus the Psalm saying “the stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20; Luke 20:17; Psalm 118:22); God conquered sin and death by surrendering to the cross. As we can see in Paul’s admission of guilt, this theme is also more complex than it appears superficially — God not only roots for the underdog, God’s grace seems particularly potent when it redeems and changes someone like Paul who is so blinded by and heavily shackled with sin that he tries to silence the gospel.
In a practical way Paul’s life as a Roman citizen and observant Jew made him the perfect minister for Christ because he had the cultural literacy both to proclaim the fulfillment of prophecy to Hebrews and to articulate this message to gentiles in a way they could understand. Moreover, because of the radical nature of his conversion through revelation, Paul had the humility to know that he would still be lost without God’s grace and the confidence that God’s grace would save anyone who accepted it. I’ve met some people who seem “right-sized” (as they say in some self-help circles), but I tend to vacillate between hubris and low self-esteem. However, when I’m open to it, God’s grace changes hubris to humility, low self-esteem to confidence, and I see clearly how everything that I am right now fits perfectly in the context of God’s plan.
Thought for the day: God, remove the scales of pride and low self-esteem from my eyes so that I can see with confidence and humility how I can serve others and share the good news of your grace.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.