More Wisdom and Foolishness

1 Corinthians 1:27-31 (NRSV)

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

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But what a fool believes he sees
No wise man has the power to reason away
What seems to be
Is always better than nothing
There's nothing at all
But what a fool believes he sees

"What a Fool Believes" written by Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins and recorded by The Doobie Brothers from "Minute by Minute"

What a fool believes no wise man has the power to reason away. The wisdom of this world is rooted in what we see. "I'll believe it when I see it" has become the cry of a new generation. So much is this so that many won't believe the most obvious of truth without seeing it through the wisdom of their own eyes.

If the mysteries of our own world, like if the light goes off when you close the fridge, if these are questioned constantly, the mysteries of the eternal are well beyond our understanding. Yet, we seek to understand, we seek to see it with our own eyes.

Paul writes, "Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles." There is no human sense to be made, no earthly wisdom to come from the wisdom of Christ crucified. Yet, "God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe."

"What a Fool Believes" is that love is real if only in the mind of the fool. The sentimental fool don't see, tryin' hard to recreate, what had yet to be created. Yes, maybe the man is delusional, but what if he is not? What if this is a love that may be real one day?

Casey, mighty Casey at the bat struck out. But he swung at the pitch. He went down swinging.

The fool for Christ has hope, not optimism. Optimism is based on what is possible for people. True hope is based on what God does with people. The hope of transformation, the hope of redemption. This is the foolishness of Christ crucified. Frankly, it's better than all the wisdom found on earth.