Don’t Depend Upon Yourself

It’s the American Way! Make a name for yourself. Be your own man. This may be the saying of the world, but anyone who has ever lived knows them to be useless words. Nobody can accomplish anything on their own. It is just impossible.

Saint Paul knew this well when he wrote, “Let no one deceive himself.” Saint Paul knew that we are only wise when we include God in our lives. He is the source of wisdom. He is the source of all things good, as I wrote yesterday. Here’s what Saint Paul has to say for us today.

Brethren, let no one deceive himself. If any one among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” So let no one boast of men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future, all are yours; and you are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

1^st Corinthians 3.18-23

There are two images that come to my mind with today’s passage. The first is human wisdom which develops throughout history. Human wisdom is scientific in that it depends upon experience to prove theories. When something works, we repeat it. That’s wisdom.

The second image for today is when Saint Paul refers to “this age.” We are hearing these words two thousand years after Saint Paul wrote them. Human wisdom definitely has developed over the centuries.

Let’s look at that reality. Human wisdom is scientific and depends upon experience. Since, looking back through history, we can see how past wisdom wasn’t ‘very wise’ in the first place, shouldn’t we presume the wisdom of “this age” will someday seem ridiculous?

While Saint Paul is speaking to us about the wisdom that comes from God, he helps us see the foolishness of the wisdom of ‘this age’ as well. Saint Basil taught that science will prove itself wrong tomorrow, so we shouldn’t expect today’s knowledge to know everything.

In fact that is more true today than ever before. The current rate of knowledge duplication is just over one year. ONE YEAR! That means what we humans know ‘today’ will be obsolete next year. How can we put any trust in the wisdom of ‘this age’ when it changes so rapidly?

It doesn’t matter how smart of dumb we are, wisdom changes around us. Our only chance of growing closer to Christ is to accept one thing. The ONLY wisdom that never changes is the wisdom of God.

It should be comforting to place our trust in wisdom that doesn’t change, so why do so many of fight against God and the Church? It is a matter of faith. We like to have faith in ourselves rather than someone or something else. “Let no one deceive himself.” We are the fools.

It doesn’t have to mean ignoring what the world has to offer. Science helps us understand how God works. We no longer have to panic every time the climate shifts. Human wisdom teaches us that climates changes and we adapt. Climates are one thing. Heaven is another.

When it comes to climate, or any other earthly system, go ahead and depend upon human wisdom all you want. Just remember it is changing under your feet, so be careful. BUT when it comes to your eternal salvation, depend only on God’s wisdom.

Sounds easy enough, until the ‘two systems’ collide. That is the point of Saint Paul today. When, not if, the wisdom of ‘this age’ conflicts with the wisdom of God and the Church, we can always trust that God’s wisdom will get us where we need to be. The wisdom of ‘this age’ not so much.

Just some things to ponder this summer. As you struggle with the choice of being in Church or being at the beach, consider which ‘wisdom’ you are listening to. Then choose being in Church. As you search for travel plans, consider the nearest Orthodox Church for Sunday Liturgy.

Sometimes the simple choices are the hardest to make, because the simple choices don’t ever seem important. They just seem wise. The only issue is, God’s wisdom or the world’s?