Not many wise. . . .

I must admit that this passage has me very confused. I don't believe I grasp the beauty of it as I ought to yet (you can pray for me about that), but I'm seeing it a little more by God's grace, I trust.

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.

(1 Corinthians 1:26, ESV)

My gut reaction is to not like this because it seems unfair to me. How can it be that God would choose to not call people who are wise, powerful or prominent as kings? I mean, isn't being a King (or President) something that God says is good for the human race (Rom. 13)? If God says that being a king is good, and that people should use their brains to the fullest extent and that making advancements in many different things are good, then why would he shut the door to those who pursue those with great diligence?

I don't know if I can fully answer that question, but I can say this: just as people can trust in notorious sins and have those things draw them completely away from God so can people trust in their seeming goodness and the consequences are the same.

The point of wisdom and power and kingship is meant to point people to the reality of their need for a greater Wisdom, a greater Power and a greater King; however, the more blessing we receive, the more prone we are to reject.

For any of you reading this who are believers in Christ, be thankful that God removed the barriers from your eyes so that you didn't continue to trust in the wisdom of this world, the American dream or any other thing that can take you away from the Father's heart.

Consider your calling, brothers and sisters. . . .