Devotional: "It's not me, it's you"

S:

I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:3-5)

O:

This verse makes a lot of sense when you consider the audience Paul was speaking to. In ancient Greek, a man’s success and influence depended on his rhetorical ability. Instead of using Greek rhetoric Paul emphasized the powerful message of the cross so that people of Corinth would put their faith in Christ and not on their ability to deliver a thought. The comparison between weakness and power appear throughout the two letters written to the church of Corinth: the weakness of God is stronger than man (1 Cor 1:25), God chose what is weak to shame the strong (1 Cor 1:27), …sown in weakness, …raised in power (1 Cor 15:43). It is not men’s persuasion that saves people but it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that changes our hearts and minds.

A:

“A mind touches a mind but only a heart can touch another’s heart” has a beautiful ring to it but my brain is bigger than my heart and too proud to accept my inabilities. I care too much about whether people think I am smart or not which ultimately binds me with their opinion of me and keeps me from doing what the Lord would want me to do. But what do I have to offer? What is so great about what I am able to do? The only thing I have that is unchanging and unshakable is the gospel of Jesus Christ. I must abandon the desire to be accepted or respected and boast in and only in the Lord.

P:

Lord, I repent of my pride. Forgive me for relying on my limited wisdom and not in Yours. Renew my mind and teach me through Your Word. Your word is light. Let the power of the Spirit be evident in my life so that when people see me they will glorify You. In the name of Jesus Christ who was risen and sits on the throne now and forever I pray, amen.