1 Corinthians 1:26 says:
New International Version
“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.”
As believers, we are not called to be the sharpest knife in the drawer or the brightest person in the room. Instead we are called to receive God’s word humbly.
Are there bright Christians? Sure. Most of them are dead, of course. However there have always been some who despite being bright have sought and followed God. Remember: God can use all types of people. There are the brilliant Paul’s but there are also leaders like Peter.
Some interesting minds who have followed Christ might include: Origen, Augustine, St. Aquinas, Descartes, Bonhoeffer, Kierkegaard, William of Occam, Johnathan Edwards, Dostoevski, TS Elliot, Tolkien, Calvin, Erasmus, John Locke, Lady Julian of Norwich, William Law, and many, many more.
You can be a Christian and a thinker. That being said, God’s wisdom puts us all to shame. It is the simple things in life which can humble us. His ways are higher than our ways.
We are often shamed by that which is simple and uncomplicated. Many people, like me are not brilliant. Some times we find ourselves compared to plow horses instead of race horses. We are the turtle working diligently against the super fast rabbits of our generation. The wonderful thing is that as Children of God we have the right to request to share in God’s wisdom. We can taste of the Simplicity of Christ which can take us far beyond the wisdom of this world and this age.
God’s Scripture can help convey to us God’s wisdom. We can learn that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. You do not have to be born with wisdom. God’s word makes clear that if we do not have wisdom we can ask for it and expect to get it. That wisdom is worth treasures of gold and jewels and it is available freely for asking.
I think, somehow, it would be unfair for God to provide salvation only to the intelligent, bright and wise. It seems to me that a loving God values simplicity and even those of us who are of modest intelligent or even retarded can experience the love and presence of God. That is what a loving God would do and that is exactly what our God does.
For many years that Christian woman, Corrie Ten Boom, taught a group of retarded persons. I think that made God smile and the faith of her students also made God smile. Relationship does not depend upon intelligence or being a great thinker. You do not have to be bright in order to love.
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