Brothers, consider your calling: Not many are wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world — what is viewed as nothing — to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, so that no one can boast in His presence. But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became God-given wisdom for us — our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, in order that, as it is written: The one who boasts must boast in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 — Holman Christian Standard Bible)
The good news of Jesus Christ only appeals to humble people and to those who realize their need of a Savior. People who are filled with pride cannot accept a message about a Savior who was crucified to save them. They will not admit that they are lost and cannot save themselves. They want to believe that they are good and have no sin. So in these verses we are reminded that few people who are great in the eyes of the world have accepted the Lord Jesus.
Why is this? Why aren’t there many rich people, intellectuals, scholars, etc., who are Christians? There are some of course, but they are definitely in the minority. The reason is that every person has the tendency toward pride and a perverse desire to be independent of God. When a man has money, education, power, fame, abilities, etc. — he is in great danger of pride. Most people cannot resist the temptation!
But God's plan was to deliberately chose a way of salvation that would take away all human pride — the root of all sin and all rebellion against God. Man has always fought to be independent of God; he has always been determined to go his own way. But to be saved and forgiven by God, and to be reconciled to Him — only faith in the Lord Jesus, crucified and raised from the dead, will accomplish this.
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