Fools for Christ

"The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised." 1 Corinthians 2:14

The foolishness of God is wiser than any wisdom man thinks he has, and the weakness of God is stronger than any strength that man can muster up. When God wanted to put to shame the wise of the world, He chose to do that through the foolish of the world, and when He wanted to shame the strong of the world, He chose to use the weak of the world to do that. He has chosen what is despised, what is nothing, in order to cancel the things that exist. Why? This makes no sense to the natural way of thinking.
The reason for such bizarre methods is so that no man will boast before Him.
I don't know about you, but I like the idea of being important, I find myself wanting to impress others. Do you  like to hear people say good things about you? It's pretty cool to have the chance to show off your skills. Even if I'm doing it for the Lord, there is always this side of me that wants to be recognized, to get credit for what I do. I admit it, I want to hear praises, and when I do, they easily overshadow all other motivations. God is not impressed with my bragging rights, neither is He fooled by my appearances. The Lord brings to light the things hidden in the darkness and discloses the motives of my heart. Darkness conveniently hides what is ugly. There came a time when the Lord disclosed that I calculated and timed everything I did to bring me honor and praise. I was more concerned with what man saw than with what God thought.

Paul has heard from people in Chloe's house that the church in Corinth is divided and quarreling. There seems to be a competition among the believers; they have made following men a source of division. "But is Christ divided?" Paul asks. Apparently, they are divided over who has the greatest wisdom, or who has the best delivery, or even the best message. The Corinthian believers are elevating their teachers, and in so doing, elevating their own status. So Paul asks them point blank, "based on whose opinion are you superior?" "What do you have that you didn't first receive?" And if it was given to you, why do you presume to boast about it as if you could take credit for it? Oh, you are such full, rich kings now, and that, of course, would mean that we are kings too.
Do you imagine yourselves walking into the amphitheater, or better yet, riding in on a glorious chariot with all eyes on you. Surrounded by thousands of people, can you touch the awe in the air, hear the roar of the crowd shouting your name? You are finally, truly known for how great you are, finally full of the honor you have wanted, and you would have us there right beside you.
But, and this is a really big "but", God has chosen a completely opposite and an absolutely more inferior way for us at the end of the line. We are those who arrive last to the amphitheater, a spectacle of death to all those who see us, to be jeered and taunted.
"we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 
We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are prudent in Christ; 
we are weak, but you are strong; 
you are distinguished, but we are without honor. 
To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, 
and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; 
and we toil, working with our own hands; 
when we are reviled, we bless; 
when we are persecuted, we endure; 
when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; 
we have become as the scum of the world, 
the dregs of all things, even until now." 
1 Corinthians. 4:9-13

Scum of the world?? Dregs of all things??
What are you trying to say Paul?

A couple of years ago, there was a massive rain fall where we live that resulted in a foot of sewage water in our basement. I was away helping my mother recuperate from surgery, so it fell to my husband and daughter to clean up the mess. A few weeks afterwards, we noticed there was still a smell in the basement. A plugged drain had been overlooked, so when the grate was lifted.... ooof! I will not attempt to describe the nauseating nature of the scum that was left. Some things are just too disgusting!
Paul, your word is not very flattering, nor very nice.

The Greeks also had a special use for this word translated "scum". It's what they would call the criminals who were kept for the purpose of being offered up as sacrifices to the gods whenever a calamity occurred.  Did Paul possibly have this meaning in mind when he described himself this way?
Is that really what you think, Paul, because that just doesn't seem natural!
I'm not likely to consider myself this way, but I often fear that other people do. Maybe that is what Paul is saying. He could be moaning about the mistreatment he's gotten from the world. That seems more logical, less absurd, more natural, more like me.

But if Paul was describing how the world viewed him, why would he say it is God who has put him in the theater for public exhibition as a man condemned to death? He knows that God has not set him up as wise, honored and the strong of this world, but as a fool for Christ sake, full of dishonor and weakness.
Paul is describing himself as a spectacle, as scum, in order to make a point with Corinthian believers, who seem to think that man should seek significance and elevate their status among each other?


"And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?" 1 Corinthians 3:2-3

These Christians were dividing themselves in order to follow the man who had the most to offer them in the way of boosting their status, increasing their value. They were walking like natural men and not in the Spirit, and their lives reflected it. They thought they were wise, but their wisdom had all the features of the one James warned us about.
"But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural , demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. " James 3:14-16

I think, if my goal is to walk by the Spirit and die daily, I would do well to learn from Paul. He seems to have figured out what taking up his cross and following Jesus looks like.
But why would I want to make his brand of cross-walking my goal? Can't I design my own walk? Does it have to look like Paul's?