If You Boast, Boast in the Lord

 

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:28-31 (NIV)

God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. 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. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

Devotion:

Paul’s words to the Corinthians cut through every illusion of self‑sufficiency. Corinth was a city obsessed with status—intellect, eloquence, wealth, and social standing were the currencies of value. Yet Paul reminds the church that God works on an entirely different scale. God deliberately chooses what the world dismisses, overlooks, or devalues. He lifts up the humble, strengthens the weak, and brings His purposes to pass through people who know they cannot rely on themselves.

This is not a rebuke; it is a profound comfort. God’s choice of “the low and despised” is not an accident of grace—it is the very strategy of redemption. When God works through those who seem small, His power becomes unmistakable. When He uses those who feel inadequate, His wisdom shines brighter. When He redeems what the world has cast aside, His glory becomes the only explanation.

Paul goes on to say that Christ Himself has become our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. In other words, everything we need—everything that makes us whole—comes not from our achievements but from our union with Jesus. We do not stand before God because we are clever enough, strong enough, or faithful enough. We stand because Christ is enough.

This frees us from the exhausting pressure to prove ourselves. It frees us from comparison, from insecurity, and from the fear that we are not “enough” for the work God has given us. It also frees us to serve boldly, because the outcome does not depend on our adequacy but on God’s faithfulness.

In seasons of transition, uncertainty, or weakness, this passage becomes a steady anchor. God is not limited by our limitations. He delights to work through ordinary people, in ordinary places, doing ordinary acts of faithfulness. And when He does, the only rightful boast is in Him.

Prayer:
Lord, thank You for choosing what the world overlooks. Thank You that in Christ we have everything we need—wisdom for today, righteousness for our past, sanctification for our growth, and redemption for our future. Keep us humble, grateful, and confident in Your power. Let our lives point not to our strength but to Your glory. Amen.