Why Does God Hide Wisdom From the Wise?

"At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way! “My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:25-30 NLT)

I had always wondered why Jesus said these words found in Matthew 11. It has always puzzled me and even made me think in the past that God was mean. Why would God hide the wisdom of repentance? Aren't all people asked to turn to God and receive salvation? This almost seems out of character for God, or rather of my impression of what God's character should be. He has hidden these things pertaining to salvation from the wise and clever and revealed them to the childlike? really? Wow that almost seems elitist in the opposite direction. And it occurred to me the other day that it has nothing to do with us. First of all, it has everything to do with God and His goodness. Secondly its more about about God than us, and Thirdly ITS MORE ABOUT GOD THAN US!!!

God hides wisdom from the wise because it's more about God than us. What will we say if we see wisdom revealed through the already wise? We might say, "Wow that person is really wise! and becoming wiser. Isn't God so blessed that He has then on His team?" But God reveals wisdom through babes and the unwise because when we all see the unwise and babes exhibiting wisdom as revealed through salvation, then we will know it could have only come through God. We will give glory to God because we realize and know that this particular wisdom could have only come from God! What "things" is Jesus talking about here? God reveals to the unwise and babes certain 'things'? What things did God reveal to babes and the unwise? I believe that the context is salvation. This makes it all the greater that God only reveals it to those of us on the unwise spectrum! I'm very grateful for that personally, more than that I'm grateful because it shows Gods great grace. We could never earn that right to receive this great wisdom of God that leads to salvation. He could only grant it to us through his great kindness and goodness. As Romans 2:4 says, "Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can't you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?" I'm pretty glad it's up to the kindness of God to lead me to repentance because If salvation were up to me it would be like a playground pickup basketball game. I would pick the most talented, the tallest, or at least the ones who look like they can play (ironically I have picked some people who I thought were great players but were really posers). But God picks the least and worst and most unworthy! He goes after the marginalized, the hurt the broken, the needy, the unwanted, the fatherless and the widow. He picks the losers, the outcast, the unloved, the castaways, the ragamuffins and so on and so on. If you are honest with yourself, you and I fit into one of those categories. What a band of misfits He chooses. My point is that He does this not because He is a capricious ogre, but this actually shows how great His grace is when He picks all the worst ball players on the court. It is pretty crazy too that He can do anything with us. He actually turns us around in order that the world could say WOW God has really changed you. What a great God!

Every time that I realize the great upside down grace that God provides to the Church. The grace that He also extends to the hurting world my only response can be worship. Here is a good song to help you respond to whatever God is doing in your heart. Worship Him for His great grace found in Jesus at the Wonderful Cross...