“The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 2:14 NIV
Reflection: why is “humility” an essential characteristic of a follower of Christ?
Was listening to a Christian music station yesterday, where the host was sharing a life experience, a wisdom to the listeners. She was talking about how to build and maintain relationships, in particular marriage, and the importance of being humble. The importance of forgiveness. And then she said that the most important two words she had learned was saying
“I’m sorry”
Now, I must admit, I reacted first to her use of grammar versus the wisdom she was sharing, thinking “wait a minute, that’s a three word phrase saying “I’m sorry.”” But of course, her deeper point was very important. The ability to listen and understand when we have hurt someone we wish to have a relationship with, to self reflect, and then in humility ask for forgiveness. It is not easy, because it often goes against our selfish pride. To say I’m sorry and actually mean it, to a point where we correct our errors and actions. That is if we love the other person and want to maintain a relationship with them. The spirit of the world often teaches the complete opposite of humility, to be strong in self rather than to admit that we are wrong.
Humility is foolishness to the world.
This is a small example, perhaps, but an illustration of what Paul is talking about in our focus verse today. That the world, and the person without the Spirit of God, is unable to accept nor discern wisdom of God. Even more, it is foolishness to such a person, because such wisdom is in opposition to the flesh and the world. And we have many examples of this throughout the Bible. Think for a moment about how Jesus and his teaching was received. I think we all can agree that Jesus had the Spirit of God. “And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;” Matthew 3:16 ESV
John characterized Jesus as being full of “grace and truth”, while others were offended by many things that he said. Because he was speaking not of himself as a man, but of wisdom and depth of the Father. A prime example here is his famous Sermon on the Mount. Let’s read a bit to jog our memory “And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:2-6 ESV. As you read his words, you see pretty quickly that this is foolishness to the world. It doesn’t make any sense. But for us who God has given His Spirit to, we see deeper truths, not by ourselves, but revealed by the Spirit of God.
Circling back to how Paul began this chapter to the Corinthians, it all makes sense. “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 ESV.
Our flesh might just hear words and get stuck on the grammar, that “I’m sorry” are three words and not two. But our Spirit will allow us to understand the deeper truths about humility and forgiveness, to form us more and more into the image of Christ.