Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13).

Most of the first Apostles were ordinary men. Several were fishermen. They were untrained and uneducated. They were very different from the highly-trained scribes and Pharisees. They had no formal training in the doctrines of Judaism. Why did Jesus select such men? I wonder if He wanted to encourage ordinary people everywhere to find a place in God’s Kingdom? Christianity is not a religion simply for the educated. Paul, the last of the Apostles, was highly educated. There is room in God’s kingdom for both types.  So, whether you are educated or not, there is a place for you in God’s Kingdom.

The critical issue is the fact that the uneducated Apostles had been with Jesus. Therefore, learning from Jesus is the highest and best education possible. The same is true for the educated Apostle Paul. He had also been with Jesus, and he considered his previous learning as refuse (I believe the Greek word he used was “dung!”)  in comparison. Therefore, the issue is not how educated you are. Those who trust in Jesus and enter into a personal relationship with Him are the wises people on earth.

Father, how grateful we are to know that the least of us can find life and meaning through Jesus. When we trust in Him and live by His teachings, we are the wisest of persons. Remind me daily that I belong to Him, and He is with me always. I want everyone to know that I have been with Jesus. In His name, I pray, Amen.