An Upside Down Kingdom

God loves to turn the wisdom of men upside down, creating His opportunities to demonstrate who He is. Who would have thought that God Almighty, the King of kings, Creator of heaven and earth would have chosen the lowest place to come to earth. No one would look for a coming Messiah in a stable!

Jesus loved to meet with the outcast, and a woman who had the most messy and difficult past, and give her value, hope and life. All the religious arguments of the day were overturned by wisdom, not of this world. The religious leaders were constantly trying to catch Jesus out for not obeying the rules, but Jesus overturned their rules and made them face themselves. ‘This people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me’ (Mark 7: 6).

He slept in a storm, took a meagre offering to feed a multitude, worked many of His miracles when no one was looking, sat in the pubs with sinners, blessed children above all and against popular demand, and told the disciples, ‘truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it’ (Mark 10:9). Jesus broke all the bounds of religion without compromising who He was.

God loves to turn human wisdom upside down. He used a young boy with a sling and stone to slay a giant. He allowed a brother to be rejected and thrown into a pit so that he would be found by slave traders and become a means of grace and redemption. He brought kings low, and He lifted servants up. He told the rich to sell all they have to gain life, and proclaimed ‘blessed are the poor in spirit for they shall see God’. There was nothing anyone could do to condemn him, argue with Him or manipulate Him.

Almighty God surrendered His will by giving His Son as a love gift to mankind. The Lord Jesus allowed this ultimate act of foolishness, by giving Himself up to the Romans to be killed. The opposite of the world’s wisdom gave way for glorious victory over sin and death. The way was opened up for all who believe to enter in.

We are invited into the best strategy, the best way of life, the best way of overcoming the enemy and the highest of relationships. He exchanges beauty for the ashes of our sin and brokenness, and comfort for those who mourn. His eyes are on the sparrow, and even the hairs on our head are numbered.

How amazing that God chooses our weakness to bring His strength; our poverty and need to give us true riches; our fallible human wisdom in exchange for wisdom from above; and the lowest (most helpless) to be first in His Kingdom. And He chose death to give us abundant life! What a Redeemer!

God tells us that there is a way that seems right to men but its end is death (Proverbs 16:25). This is a salutary warning to us all to take our eyes off ourselves and to look with child-like trust into His eyes, the One who is the source of all wisdom and life.

Prayer: Father God, thank You for Jesus. Thank You for the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit within me. Please convict me when I make You into a God of my own making and wisdom, and set me free to allow Your upside-down kingdom into my life. Thank You that You take what is foolish, despised, and the things that are not, to confound the things that are. Keep my eyes looking for redemption;, not my way but yours! In Jesus’ name, Amen.