“God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the (worldly) wise.  God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.” 1 Cor.1:27

My pastor friend last Sunday illustrated beautifully the difference between wisdom and intelligence.  You may have a high IQ and be a genius without having true wisdom.  He visualized a saved child being interviewed about its personal knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.  That child´s confession to Him as Lord and Savior, itself being a sinner, for whom Christ died, conveyed more wisdom than all the smart unsaved people of the world put together.  That´s right.

My grandfather´s second wife (my grandmother died when I was only 12) was such a woman.  Her story was a modern version of Ruth and Boaz.  Her name was Margrethe (the same name as our Queen !).  She came from the country side as a young maid to serve in my grandfather´s and grandmother´s wealthy house.  She didn´t have any academic education, but she knew the Lord who saved her during a wonderful awakening in her parish when she was only 13 years old.  When my beloved grandfather died ,  she took over his business and ran it well.  Her godly wisdom thus also found a practical outlet.

She is now home with the Lord, too.  In her widowhood I often confided with her, and only God knows what an impact that dear woman had on my life.  She was not the member of any sophisticated IQ club, but the glory of God´s wisdom shined upon her life till the Lord took her home.  A preacher up in Norway once said,  that he knew of no individual in Denmark that had impressed him like that simple woman.

The Christian church doesn´t need geniuses, but men and women filled with godly wisdom and with the crucified and risen Jesus Christ as the pivotal point.  We have too many parrots, but where are the real characters brought up in the presence of God?

-jn-


May 12, 2009