"Proud Fools" October 12 Readings: 1 Corinthian 9:15-11:1

Today's Reading - 1 Corinthian 9:15-11:1 

Background

In this section, Paul continues his discussion of meat sacrificed to idols. Though idols are nothing and eating meat sacrificed to idols is nothing, he warns against any form of idolatry. The entire passage is summarized in 10:23-11:1, where Paul advocates both freedom in Christ and concern for others over demanding our rights and privileges as Christians. 

Devotional - Proud Fools

It was my first time skiing, and by my second day on the slopes, I was ready to conquer the "black diamond" hill at the Eldora ski resort in Colorado. Brimming with confidence, I told my wife, who was tired of skiing and was happily relaxing in the lodge, to watch me come down the hill. She would be SO impressed with how good a skier her husband had become.

The punchline of this story is pretty obvious, isn't it? A while later the ski patrol came down the hill looking for her and she got to see how well I could ride in an ambulance. I was a proud fool, about to fall.

Paul seemed to know about my story when he said, in 1 Corinthians 10:12:

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.

When we become confident in our own strengths and abilities, when we depend on ourselves instead of on God, we are setting ourselves up for failure. "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall."

Paul then gave some words that have been consistently misused and abused through the years. In verse 13, he says,

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

"God will never give you more than you can handle." Right? Well...um...sorry, that's not what Paul said. God constantly gave people more than they could handle so that they would be forced to depend on him for strength and power. Paul didn't say that we could handle everything life throws at us, but he did say that God would provide a way to escape any temptation to sin that might come our way.

We must not think we can handle sin's temptations or life's hardships on our own. That way leads to failure. When we rely on ourselves to stand, we will fall. But when we depend on God's power we will find that way to escape the temptation and stand strong.

Father, may I rely on nothing else but you and your power. I realize I don't have the strength to face temptation, but I also trust that you will always provide a way for me to endure temptation.

Think and Pray

Do you have a healthy balance between confidence in Christ and a humility that realizes your own weakness?