J1 Corinthians 1:26-31

“Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;” vss. 26-27

By the time Paul wrote this letter he’d had time to assess what was happening in the congregations that had sprung up all over the eastern Mediterranean. And he found the record astonishing! The people who had come to trust the crucified Jesus as their Lord were a motley crew. There were Jews and Greeks, men and women, slaves and free–there were a few wealthy folks, and perhaps some who had some power. But he saw in this body the beginnings of a movement, one that he dared to believe would change the world. And he was right! Think of the empires that the Church has seen rise and fall! Nothing in all the world can compare to what was wrought by, from the beginning, the flotsam and jetsam of society. And the movement continues today, not through the efforts of millionaire televangelists and Tiktok influencers, but because of the continued sacrificial service of the weak and foolish. It’s these people, called from a bewildering variety of backgrounds and races, who are the strength of Christ’s Body, and these are the folks who are the hope of this broken world.

Thought for the Day: Why do many congregations lack variety in their membership?