For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel–not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross be emptied of its power (1 Corinthians 1:17).

See, this is why Paul is Paul and I am just Michael.

Paul gets it.  He totally understands, right from the start, that you can’t convince someone into Heaven. 

You can’t argue them in.  

You can’t debate them in.

You can’t meme them in.

It’s gotta be the cross.

There’s power in sacrificial love, and the greater the sacrifice, the greater the power.

Hence the cross. 

The gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, mind-numbing, veil-tearing power of love that infinitely transcends my feeble words and useless arguments.

Oh, Father, how could you do it?  How could you give your Son over to such pain, such disgrace, such emptiness?  How could I possibly be worth that, when you and I both know what goes on inside this pathetic excuse for a heart?

You see, Beloved?  That there’s the power that will change a life and save a soul.

Spend a little time at the foot of the Cross this morning, will you? 

Happy Monday.