Relevant Text: 1 Cor. 1:26-29
Full Text: Job 13, 1 Cor. 1

Linsanity | New Yorkers have a new Valentine – Jeremy Lin. The son of Taiwanese immigrants, Lin starred on his high school basketball team, but no college offered him an athletic scholarship. Nonetheless, he ended up at Harvard, where he was twice named to the All-Ivy Team. When he graduated, he was passed over yet again – no NBA team picked him up. In December, the Knicks signed him to a non-guaranteed contract (after he was waived by Houston), but they sent him to the D-League three times. Last Thursday, when Kobe Bryant was asked about the Lin story, he replied, “I have no idea what you guys are talking about … Who is this kid?”. Today, of course, he knows who Lin is … and so does the rest of the world. [1]He’s turned the Knicks around and brought new Lin-spiration to thousands.

Weakness | Why do we love Lin so much? It goes way beyond basketball and sports and ethnicity. It goes to our being made in the image of God. God absolutely loves to exalt the seemingly weak over the seemingly strong and, since we were made in His image, so do we. Throughout the Bible, God repeatedly chooses younger brothers, barren women and tax collectors. Paul wrote, “Not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth … God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong … so that no human being might boast in the presence of God” [2].

Surprise | Jesus chose not to cloak himself in nobility or fame. He came to a poor family in an unknown town and worked as a carpenter. In his life, he was ridiculed, insulted and mocked. Although God Himself was in their midst, the people benched him and gave all the playtime to the scholars and orators of the day. Yet, God made the cross the center of our faith – “the bloody, criminal, shame-covered, torturing, scandalous cross of Jesus” [3]. Today, of course, the entire world knows about Jesus. He rose again and led His people to victory.

Prayer | Lord, You designed our hearts to love gospel stories. Jesus had nothing to attract us to him, but you raised him up as Lord. Let us, therefore, not be swayed by external appearances or successes. Instead, let us boast about our weaknesses so that your strength is put on glorious display in our lives. Amen.

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Footnotes

[1] If you only read one article on Jeremy Lin, this should be it: Michael Luo. “Lin’s Appeal: Faith, Pride and Points.” The New York Times. 11 February 2012. See also (generally) D.R. “We have a Linner: basketball’s surprising new star.” The Economist: Game Theory. 8 February 2012.; Al Iannazzone. “Lin (25 points) leads Knicks past Nets.” Newsday. 4/5 February 2012.; Michael Klopman. “Jeremy Lin vs. Kobe Bryant: Lakers Star Unaware of Linsanity (Video).” Huffington Post. 11 February 2012. See also WSJ Speakeasy. “Jeremy Lin on His Fast Break to Fame, God, and Kobe Bryant.” 11 February 2012.  |  [2] 1 Cor. 1:26-29 ESV  |  [3] John Piper. Let the One Who Boasts Boast in the Lord. Sermon. 12 February 2006.