Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual.”
NL Daily Devotion for Tuesday, May 7, 2024
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
I don’t think these things are necessarily mutually exclusive. That is, the spirit of the world and the Spirit of God. After all, God created the world, created people, and created us spiritual beings. Sure, there are human things that are less than stellar—evil comes from people, not from God. But at the same time, there are human things that are sublime, that clearly channel the Spirit of God, in ways some folks might not consider to be “spiritual.” Human philosophy and wisdom can inform our faith in incredible ways, and God can speak profoundly through non-Christian people and non-Christian ideas.
That being said, interpretation is necessary, which requires the humility to be open not only to things “of the world” but also to those with whom we discuss our faith on a regular basis. Which, I think, is an exhortation to actually have these discussions. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. But it’s a challenge to grow spiritually in a vacuum.
What is my process for discerning when non-Christian wisdom is from God?
