Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Fools
1 Corinthians 1:18-3118~For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
I often think, especially while talking to an unbeliever about God, how the gospel appears to be foolish. The blank look on their face certainly reveals that they think so too. I was talking with a lady last week, and heard all the expected responses. "It's just an old book. That's just someones view of the Bible. I know God, and am fine with him. They teach people to submit to their husbands, I could never believe a God like that."
The Bible teaches that there is a veil that covers a persons understanding of scripture until God reveals it. I clearly remember reading my Bible before I was saved and not at all being able to understand it. As a Christian it is now a love letter from my God, no longer foolish, but truly the power of God for salvation.21~For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
I have learned so much of this concept through home school. In the beginning my main focus was to keep up with the public schools and all the national testing standards so my kids could be like all the rest of the kids their age. Over the past 6 years my focus is changing. I still strive for academic excellence, but my focus is shifting to character excellence as well. Especially in America we have all the knowledge at our fingertips.
But look around. What good is that doing us. What is missing? My children will learn how to read, but I want them to learn to read so they can read the Bible to know the true source of joy. I want them to learn obedience to me, so they can one day learn to savor obedience to the king. I want them to steer clear of the many sins that entangle, and strive for the things that honor God. I don't want to spend their whole childhood with them, and miss telling and showing them the real purpose in life.
If this looks like foolishness, so be it.25~For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.I see many areas of "God's foolishness" in my life, and often find that I am trying to defend them in my own mind, if not to the people around me. The reason why we have so many children in a culture where 2 are acceptable; the reason why we home school (crazy people!); why we teach our kids the Bible and to obey and respect; why we don't have television (of all the crazy things!) or all the new fangled gadgets out there;etc., etc.
One thing that I am learning is how to be weak. It is a hard lesson for me. I have inherited a strong headed, do it for yourself attitude. For me to admit weakness and failure is tough. But the sweet side of this is that it allows God's strength room to work. He lets us have what we want sometimes, and in this area I am learning that his strength and provision are far better than any of my attempts at solving things. When I let go, He moves.
27&29~But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong...so that no one may boast before him.These verses always make me think of Grace, and all the other special needs orphans out there. God chose for this little girl to have club feet, which in her culture meant she was nothing. Left under a bridge, and only found and rescued by the grace of God. For His glory she was cared for at an orphanage for 14 months, until finally she came home to us. Our testimony of God in Grace's adoption certainly shame's the strong. Disability is often seen as someone who is not worthy. The overall response we got while in India with Grace was one of pity and amazement that we would want this untouchable little girl, to even pure shock at the appearance of her feet. When she came home her feet were so twisted that when she tried to walk she was walking on the tops of her feet. God glorified himself in so many ways over the next year, even through a long bout of fighting parasites, to answer our prayer that her feet would not need surgery for correction. I look forward to seeing what God has in store for the rest of Grace's life, and hope that she never forgets how God has set her apart so His glory may be seen in her life.
30b~It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus.Only because of Him.
