Recently, I was looking for another Bible verse and restumbled (yes, it’s a word now) onto these verses in 1 Corinthians 1. To me it was powerful stuff. Certainly the kind of passage in scripture that reminds me of many of us.

26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 

I was many things when I heard God in my life. I was arrogant, proud, but also very weak and insecure. Hardly wise, hardly influential and well, the usual citizen. But read that again. Not many means some of…. Some of these Christians were considered ‘wise’, ‘influential’ and of ‘noble blood.’ Yet was there a king or duke or whatever noble title they used in the church? No. Was there specifically a seating section for the wise and another for the dense? No. Were the influential Christians given sparkly communion cups? No. 

27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 

The foolish things shame the wise and the weak to shame the strong. Quite the opposite of how we normally approach things. Were some less important than others in the Church? No. Did all receive some news that sounded weird and odd? Yes. God died for YOU? Even the lowest of the gods didn’t act that way. They knew better. They knew their place (in mythology). God knew his place but better than that, he KNEW OUR PLACE.

28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 

I’m not pretending that this is some deep great theological entry. Nor am I going to pretend that I spent the last week scouring an ancient library to find some hidden secret. God chose things to use that which was not (Christ the man, apostles to preach, minorities, crazy stories) to overcome that which was. I’m not entirely sure what all this means but I know this. It isn’t the things that make us say ‘I better not…’ or ‘You have to be crazy to do that…’ that usually make us feel safe and secure. It’s the trophies that make us feel proud. The awards and the pats on the back (or kisses on the cheek) make us smile. It’s THOSE things we want for our children. Not to hear them come home and say ‘MOM AND DAD GOD HAS DONE GREAT THINGS FOR ME SO I’M GOING TO DO THIS FOR HIM. I KNOW, IT’S FOOLISH. IT MAKES NO SENSE AND ALL I CAN SAY IS DON’T TRUST ME, TRUST HIM.

30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

SEE HERE IS THE THING, IT’S NOT MY RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT MAKES ME GOOD. IT’S NOT MY HOLINESS THAT GOD IS LOOKING FOR. IT’S NOT HOW MANY TIMES I CAN SAVE MYSELF THAT HE IS JUDGING. HE IS JUDGING WHAT I DID WHEN HE REDEEMED ME. WHEN HE SHOWED ME WHAT HOLINESS WAS. WHEN HE SHOWED ME WHO IS TRULY RIGHTEOUS. I CAN’T BOAST IN ME BECAUSE WELL, I’M NOTHING 

AND THAT IS OKAY. REALLY. IT’S OK TO BE NOTHING. NO SERIOUSLY. IT’S GOOD. 

BUT GOD, GOD, HE IS SOMETHING.

I highlight all this because I want you to understand that we get tired. I once heard someone say a missionary isn’t a super Christian. I agreed and laughed and said ‘ok, cool.’ Then I ‘went on mission’ (whatever that means) and found out I’M NOT A SUPER HERO and none of my friends who are on the mission field (wherever that is) are either. Sorry guys, if you are reading, you are awesome and do amazing things but straight up, we aren’t super heroes. 

So it is with that that I just say that life is tiring. It’s truly a God thing. 
Over the next few days our lives in Loches will ramp up. 

Tutoring starts again (you know so we can speak in French without making sentences that translate into, ‘Oh yes, yesterday good I saw her. He said she like bacon shoes and wearing elm trees’.) that’s sarcasm I hope. 

Our growth groups start at church as well. These are super small groups designed for bible study, discipleship and accountability. Ophelia started school (4 days a week) Tuesday. Pray that she will enjoy it as much as she always has. Pray that we will grow more familiar with our community and continue to meet people and understand the needs of everyone around us.