25 This is because the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
26 Look at your situation when you were called, brothers and sisters! By ordinary human standards not many were wise, not many were powerful, not many were from the upper class. 27 But God chose what the world considers foolish to shame the wise. God chose what the world considers weak to shame the strong. 28 And God chose what the world considers low-class and low-life—what is considered to be nothing—to reduce what is considered to be something to nothing. 29 So no human being can brag in God’s presence. 30 It is because of God that you are in Christ Jesus. He became wisdom from God for us. This means that he made us righteous and holy, and he delivered us. 31 This is consistent with what was written: The one who brags should brag in the Lord!
Reflection
Today is Groundhog Day and because of the movie, Groundhog Day has gotten a bad rap. In the current state of affairs, however, it may seem apropos – we can feel like we are trapped in a cycle of horrible news. We ask – can it get worse? We see every day that it is similar but that it can and in fact is getting worse. I actually love Groundhog Day – it is the day that is the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It is also my birthday!
What does the scripture have to tell us about what we should be doing to overcome these things that are happening in our world when we feel like our government has all of the power and we are just one person? Well, if you remember the movie Groundhog Day, Bill Murray plays a TV weather man who is assigned to go to Punxsutawney (Punxsy) for Groundhog Day. It turns into a revolving day – he is stuck on February 2. At first, he is incredibly angry, but he eventually understands that while it is all illogical, being angry and mean to people does not help make the day better or change anything. He learns that he should work within the confines of what is happening to him to actually make his life and the world around him better.
This is what God wants us to do, and just as this Sunday morning, Brian talked to the kids about how one person with one outward light can make a difference, so can we. We may really be having a hard time understanding how and why things have gotten to where they are today, and we can see how easy it can be to become depressed, frustrated, and cynical. Maybe you feel like you are on that path, but despair is not the way out.
Like Phil Connors in Groundhog Day, we can do some small thing every day to try to make this world a bit better. We may not change what’s happening overnight, but we can start by making a difference in someone else’s life or in our own life. Isn’t that what our scripture is telling us? We can’t begin to understand where God might lead us and what God might do with this current situation we are in, but God does rely on those who believe in God’s love and Jesus’ sacrifice to make some sacrifices and changes in our lives and in the lives of others.
Whether it is writing or calling our representatives locally or nationally, or financially supporting causes that encourage others, or praying for those people in various positions, or just being kind to your neighbors – checking in on them during these cold snaps and storms, offering to get groceries for people or just smiling at someone. It all makes a difference. Jesus turned “religion” upside down and that is where we seem to be today. We need to speak out or just demonstrate that our Christianity is not what others might think it is when they think of people who proclaim to be Christians but are using scripture to belittle people and spread hate and lies.
We know the way of the world is not God’s way. We know we need to live in this world believing that God will bring about change but also knowing that it is our responsibility to assist in that change – whatever that may look like to each one of us. Somedays we want to bury our heads and get away from it, and we are blessed to have that luxury at times. We need to remember those who don’t have that luxury and help where we can. I am definitely an advocate for taking a break so that we can personally regroup so doing something fun or silly is helpful. As a matter of fact, I live 45 minutes away from Punxsy, so I am planning to go to some of the activities, but I am not going at 3am this year – I have done it before though.
Taking a small timeout can help us refocus our energy, so that we don’t go to despair. If we go to despair, then we are not helpful to ourselves or others. These times are difficult, but our faith helps to keep us focused on God – even if we don’t understand what may be happening around us.
by Janet Waryck
For Pondering and Prayer
What can we start to do that will make a difference in the world around us today? What seems like it may not make much sense to the world as it is but can make a difference in one person’s life? It may then blossom into making a difference in other people’s lives – it only takes a spark to get a fire going! That is the wisdom of God as defined in our scripture – we don’t know what might happen from one small gesture, but that is exactly why we should do it. God expects it.
Prayer: Thank you that your ways are not our ways. Help us to have faith in your ways and to know that even in our unknowing, you are doing a better thing. Help us to trust in you, to take a time out to regroup, and to help others whenever we can. Amen.
