“It seems like the older I get, the wiser you become. Sometimes when I talk to my daughter I even hear your words coming out of my mouth!”

My daughter’s candor made me laugh. I felt the same way about my parents and frequently found myself using their words as I raised my kids. Once I became a dad, my perspective on my parents’ wisdom changed. What I once “wrote off” as foolishness turned out to be far wiser than I had thought—I just couldn’t see it at first.

The Bible teaches that “the foolishness of God is wiser” than the cleverest human wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:25). “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness” of the message of a suffering Savior to rescue “those who believe” (v. 21).

God always has ways of surprising us. Instead of the triumphant king the world would expect, the Son of God came as a suffering servant and died a humbling death by crucifixion—before He was raised in unsurpassable glory.

In God’s wisdom, humility is valued over pride and love shows its worth in undeserved mercy and kindness. Through the cross, our unconquerable Messiah became the ultimate victim—in order to “save completely” (Hebrews 7:25) all who place their faith in Him!

1 Corinthians 1:18–25

Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness^h to those who are perishing,ⁱ but to us who are being saved^j it is the power of God.^k 19 For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;

the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”^c l

20 Where is the wise person?^m Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age?ⁿ Has not God made foolish^o the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world^p through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save^q those who believe.^r 22 Jews demand signs^s and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified:^t a stumbling block^u to Jews and foolishness^v to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called,^w both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God^x and the wisdom of God.^y 25 For the foolishness^z of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness^a of God is stronger than human strength.