“That no flesh should glory in his presence.” -1 Corinthians 1:29
So much of who we are here on Earth is evaluated from a carnal standpoint. This is no surprise because the world is carnal. From an early age we are evaluated on a physical/natural level. Whether it’s intellectual performance, physical attributes, or a mixture of both; we are tested, graded, and judged almost wholly on the outward man. It all comes down to what is produced. Our time here on Earth is quantified into input and output, until the question becomes, not a one of willingness, but of ability. The flesh, the natural man, can find glory in ability. They can exalt it, esteem it, and promote it. While the scripture shows us that God is not concerned with our ability, rather our willingness to lean on His. God looks for willingness far more than ability.
The cross before Christ is not the same cross after Christ. Before Jesus, the cross was an instrument of death, fear, and intimidation. It was despised, it was a symbol of hopelessness, and ridicule. A Roman tool, wielded with precision to control the masses. It was designed to be a horrible and humiliating way to die. Then came Jesus. It is no accident that the Jews were under Roman rule, and that the crucifixion was the Roman way of capital punishment. It is no accident that the Son of God would die on a cross, and that God would take the very thing that man used for evil and use it for good. The death of Christ is not a tale of ability, but of willingness. Jesus Christ had more ability and intelligence than any other man before or after. He had every reason to exalt himself and promote His own glory, but he didn’t. He yielded to the will of the Father and was willing to embrace the cross. How much more should we? And how much less should we boast in our own accomplishments, intelligence, and abilities? God does not need your abilities. He did not seek us because of who we are, but because of who we are not. We are not holy, righteous, or worthy. We are “turned everyone to his own way.” Yet, Christ loved us and died so that we might be saved. The cross, the crucifixion, the very thing that the most powerful kingdom in the world (at that time) used to intimidate and punish; God took that and turned it into a symbol of hope and righteousness. A symbol of life. Simply because His Son was willing to die. This is an allegory to what he can do in your life. He can take you, the sinner, and change you into a saint. He can take the unrighteous and bring them to righteousness. He can bring death to life and find that which was lost. God can dramatically change your life. He can give you a new mind, a new heart, a new purpose, a new direction, and a new home in heaven! He can change you the same way he changed the cross, through Jesus.
When you embrace Christ and commit your life to him, you become conformed to His death and married to His purpose. The selfsame purpose that brought him to the cross; thy will be done. His will be done. This is why no flesh can glory in His presence, because we need Him to have any glory. We need to be saved, and need him to save us, to change us: “to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” (Acts 26:18)
