“FOOLS DAY”
While some people recognize April 1st as “April Fool’s Day,” it pales in comparison to how our nation has stepped into the world of fools on a daily basis. We have thrown the obvious truth out of the window and we have been blinded by a world that is driven by deception and lies. For those that profess to be followers of Jesus Christ, it can certainly be discouraging to see the world embracing fools that seek only to promote themselves and their agenda regardless of the impact it has on others. As always, God’s Word has all the answers we need to deal with situations such as these. “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. For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.’ Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 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. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.”[1]
Throughout history we have seen time and time again people falling away from the truth of God and drawn to the foolishness that is believed to bring free provisions and protection. In other words, a self-absorbed world that only cares for me, myself, and I. We expect things to be given to us that we do not deserve and we are unwilling to put forth any effort to be productive contributors to our communities. We have been deceived into believing that we should be given things simply because we believe ourselves to be worthy to be supported by others. This mentality unfortunately leads to a society that is controlled by a chosen few and in order to continue the support a person must do or say what they are told to do or say by those select few in control. Otherwise we are refused the support we have grown accustom to receiving. This is the ultimate deception because on the surface it appears to be very appealing and unfortunately the latter condition of control is not discovered until it is too late. Once again, God’s Word gives us the solution: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”[2] We have a large portion of our society that builds their lives on sand and when the rains of life come, the streams of distress rise, and the challenging winds blow their lives come crashing down. On the other hand, if we build our lives on The Rock, Jesus Christ, we will still experience the storms, rising streams and winds; the only difference is the foundation! We will withstand whatever life brings our way because we have built our lives on the firm foundation of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We can stand firmly on the foundation that will never leave us or forsake us.
Another issue we see in our world today are those that have been convinced by the deception of Satan that there is no God. Foolishness brought on by the enemy using all the tools at his disposal. Maybe it is the words of a famous person, a book, a family member or friend telling you what they believe and you accept that as truth. The fact is the enemy thrives and survives on lies. Paul tells us “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools.”[3] God has provided more than enough evidence of His existence if we just look around us. Denial of His existence simply to justify a life of living outside His will is no excuse and there is a day coming where every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! Yes I am a bona fide Jesus freak and I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ so speaking His truth is obedience to my relationship with Him. Simple question: are you ready for that day?
Let me close with this passage of scripture that speaks truth in a straightforward and factual way. “We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him— these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”
So you want to campaign against the foolishness in our world today? It starts with the Holy Spirit. It is time for God’s people to stand firm on the foundation of Jesus Christ and explain spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. We need to demonstrate daily that we have the mind of Christ and He directs our every step even in the storms and winds of life. Removing foolishness begins with each follower of Jesus Christ standing boldly and courageously for the cause of Christ and depending on the Holy Spirit to guide and direct our actions, words, and deeds.
[1] 1 Corinthians 1:18-25. All scripture used in this article is taken from the NIV translation of the Holy Bible unless otherwise noted.
[2] Matthew 7:24-27
[3] Romans 1:20-22