Call me foolish

I was teaching my small group this week when we turned the focus of our conversation to 1st Corinthians 1:18. It says, "The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but, to those who believe, it is the power of God." That verse has captivated me ever since I left that night. In fact, God has used that verse to teach me that I've been going about some things all wrong. For example, the verse says, "The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing"...I have to admit...when I hear that, my first instinct is to try and correct that statement...What I mean by that is for far too long I have placed nearly all of my focus on convincing those around me that the things of Christ are NOT foolish. I've tried to debate and convince, discuss and defend the ways of Jesus to unbelievers with the well-meaning hopes that they would someday see Jesus and want Him in their lives. I have tried to clarify and simplify, rationalize, marginalize, and even apologize for a God who is, and should be, beyond our comprehensions, definitions, and personal theologies...After all, if I were to really be honest with you, there are still times when the message of the cross seems foolish to me...For example - What could seem wise about showing love to your enemies when you are in the heat of anger? What could seem intelligent about "being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you can not see"? What could possibly be prudent in banking your eternity on some poor carpenter who kept company with taxcollectors, sinners, lepers, prostitutes, and "Average Joe's"...Especially if that carpenter abandoned His family's trade for a mission so undignified as to being killed as a common criminal...it's foolishness...beautiful, beautiful foolishness...What I'm getting at here is that this verse in 1st Corinthians is seeming to suggest that not only is the message of the cross foolishness to those who are perishing, but perhaps that it should be perceived as foolishness...Who are we as disciples to think that we need to tone down, dumb down, or water down the real Gospel so much that Jesus might somehow be perceived as nicer, smarter, or more relevant. That's not our calling.. Our calling is to follow Jesus wherever He leads us, to share all that He has given to us, to worship Him with all of our beings, and to love like it's going out of style...When we give our lives to following this calling, we say to the unbelieving world that the ways of Jesus, foolish as they may seem, are still more valuable than all of the wisdom that this broken society has to offer...we say to the unbelieving world that the truth of the Gospel, outrageous as it is, is still greater than any man could ever bear; greater than any cross could ever end; greater than any grave could ever contain; and greater than the kingdoms of this world could ever possess.

So I've decided that I'm going to place more emphasis on living my life foolishly...foolishly by man's standards that is...whenever someone wrongs me, I will immediately forgive them...over and over again if I have to...whenever someone presents a need to me, I will give all that I can...thanking the Lord that He has given so much to me...whenever I fall short in sin, I will confess and repent and bathe in His grace because I know that it is sufficient...even for a sinner like me...and I will love to the point of foolishness; worship to the point of foolishness; serve, study and pray to the point of foolishness...and when the day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest knowing that the God of all creation loves me and finds me pleasing in His sight. And the world can call me foolish...I really don't care.