by Pastor Rich Carlson

Paul suggests several things to the struggling Christians in Corinth. After all the encouragement in the introduction, I found three powerful concepts that Paul hoped would give the Corinthian believers strength to overcome and live victoriously for God in the midst of temptations and sin.

• Be united—if they started fragmenting and arguing among themselves it would only weaken them individually.
• Preach the gospel—the cross of Jesus, Christ crucified, Christ, the power and wisdom of God.
• Don’t worry about what others think. Do it anyway!

It sounded to me like maybe the believers were embarrassed. Maybe they were being ridiculed, made fun of, or made to feel like less-than-intelligent elements in that corrupt and sinful society.

I have to admit, I’ve been there myself—just a little embarrassed in the presence of "intelligent, progressive" secularism, or popularly acceptable sinfulness. When asked what I do, I have at times fudged just a bit. It sounds better to say that I am a college professor than a college chaplain. It sounds better to say college rather than Christian college—and for sure better than saying a Seventh-day Adventist Christian college.

Am I embarrassed for my God or my church? I have learned the hard way that when I am embarrassed, I end up with less focus, direction, and confidence in any part of my life. It’s like I am living a lie to the world around me as well as to myself. I’ve also learned, I hope, the difference between confidence and being obnoxious about what I believe. This verse gives me a possible cause for my "embarrassment."

Now for what was left out of the title with the ellipses. "The message of the cross is:

• foolishness to those who are perishing
• but the power of God to those who are being saved."

If I have not found my absolute assurance of salvation, though Jesus Christ alone (that to me is the gospel) then I am "perishing." And if I am perishing then I don’t have much I want to share with anyone.

"Hey, how would you like to hear about the God I really don’t believe in?!" No wonder I would feel embarrassed in the presence of all those "intellectual" secular, worldly, "successful" people in life. Of course they’ll think what I have is foolishness.

Even when I do have my assurance straight, I cannot expect people who have not experienced it to buy into it. But what I have found is that no one ridicules me for my beliefs if I believe what I say I believe, and live like it. It’s not intellectual gymnastics. It’s internal confidence and conviction that make the difference. I don’t win arguments about my faith; I demonstrate my faith. It might seem foolish to some, but it’s usually respected.

And if I’m worried, here’s God’s support system as expressed by Paul. "Don’t worry," says Paul:

• The foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom (1Corinthians 1:25)
• The weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength (1:25)
• God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise (1:27)
• He chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1:27)
• He chose the lowly things of the world to despise the things that are important (1:28)

And there was a very specific reason for all this paradoxical preaching:
 "So that… no one may boast… except in the Lord!" (1:29, 31)

I have no turf to defend, I have no reputation to protect; I have no argument to win; I have no image to uphold except what God has done in my life and the difference it makes every day as I demonstrate to a world that doesn’t get it, or is trying to ignore it. I don’t have to be great in the world’s eyes, just grateful for what I am in God’s eyes. Jesus has to make a difference in my life if I want my life to make a difference to anyone else.

I sat beside a man on the airplane recently as I flew from Nairobi to Amsterdam. Small talk moved to "So what were you doing in Kenya?" He was a business man (from Minneapolis) who was returning from a diving expedition in Zanzibar. What do I say? I was there on "business," which would have been true because I was still on salary. Shall I say just "business," or shall I say Whose business I was on?" I chose the latter and we had a fascinating talk about the world, his stress, his searching, and his wish that he had something like me. I didn’t get him baptized on the flight home but we both disembarked in Amsterdam feeling better about who we are. He left with searching questions, and I left with a gratitude to God that He had a chance to share His message with a business man flying home from Zanzibar!

I pray that you discover the same kind of confidence in who you are with God so you can "boast only in Him."

Rich Carlson is campus chaplain at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. “God Is Faithful” is adapted from the email devotionals he writes regularly for the Union College family. Rich enjoys filling his life with God, his family, and especially his five grandchildren.