Choose Cross, Not Cleverness

[S] Deuteronomy 30:6; 1 Corinthians 1:17 --
6  "Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.
17  For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void. 

[O] The original circumcision was a painful process in order to display the belongingness to God and then during the period of the Laws, this physical sign was a significant mark to set apart who was or was not part of God's people.  Today, however, through the works of the Holy Spirit the circumcision takes place in one's own heart by renewing the heart.  Even though this does not involve physical pain of cutting away flesh, but in some sense the same "pain" of renewing the heart must take place because why would it mean anything if it's attained so easily without much effort?  This is not about attaining some intellectual level of understanding but a supernatural way of change taking place in one's heart as it says in v.17 above, it is based on the message of the gospel, the cross of Christ.

[A] I feel like I am living out a watered-down way of living a Christ-follower's life these days.  I'm too comfortable to stay within the boundaries of non-conflicting relationship with not-yet believers.  I of course do not want to go around stirring up people for the sake of arguing but I should be challenging enough for others really hear the true message of the gospel without trying to be too "clever."

[P] Dear Father, I want to live out your disciple's life so the message of the cross be revealed to others who I work with.  Please continue to remind and teach me through the Holy Spirit to know what I should say when with others and allow me to have the boldness to say what I need to say, not what I feel comfortable saying.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.