This Crooked Stick

“²⁶Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹so that no one may boast before him. ³⁰It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. ³¹Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”1 Corinthians 1: 26 -31 (NIV)

          My friend Josh Horton said something about God using crooked sticks to draw straight lines and attributed his quote to the artist Propaganda, a rap artist that has been billed as a poet and political activist, a husband and father, and an academic and emcee. This was a couple of weeks ago at The Big Picture Weekend and the saying has been rattling around in my thoughts since then. I suppose that it resonates with me in identifiable ways beginning with my paternally given nickname “Stick” and ending with my knowledge that I am imperfect and anything good that comes out of me must be from God.

          I researched the phrase and found that some of the earliest attributions date back to the German reformer Martin Luther (1483-1546) as well as Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556), Founder of the Jesuit Order. A similar quote from Thomas Watson (1620-1686), Puritan and Nonconformist preacher and author, reads "God can strike a straight stroke by a crooked stick." The thought has been around for a long time and these are variations on theme from my leadoff scripture, 1 Corinthians 1: 26-31. Most of us are well aware of our shortcomings when stacking ourselves up to Godliness and yet Christ is able to use us and loves doing so.

          Other sayings offer the same sentiment. “God Uses Cracked Pots” is a book by Patsy Clairmont. See 2 Corinthians 4: 7. Another is when God used a donkey to speak to Balaam to show Balaam the truth. (Numbers 22) And, earlier today Jim McClelland and I were riffing during a text session about some events that adversely affected how we go about things and surprising both of us. To a final comment Jim said, “The imperfections of each strand of the rope, eh?” Ecclesiastes 4: 12b says this about that, ”A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (NIV) This is especially true when we are finely twined with Christ, our imperfects become moot.

          We’ve used the theme “It’s Not About Me” in Junior High Ministries often. When I am asked about, or rather, unduly praised about Mission Arizona this is most likely to be my response, “It cannot be about me.” If it were, the results would blow around like the sands of the Sonoran Desert rather than take root in the kids and bear fruit in many wonderful ways.

          As it goes, this crooked stick is pleased to be of service and if my pot is cracked, let the light of Christ shine through.

Even the crooked stick
can bloom

For the record when Paul said “as it is written” he quoted Jeremiah 9: 23 – 24:

²³This is what the Lord says:

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom

or the strong boast of their strength

or the rich boast of their riches,

²⁴but let the one who boasts boast about this:

that they have the understanding to know me,

that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,

justice and righteousness on earth,

for in these I delight,” (NIV)

In His grip, jerry