Foolish Wisdom

I’ve never really been a big fan of April Fools’ Day – probably because I’m not a jokester myself, and I don’t really like surprises. I remember going to school on April 1^st when I was young and being afraid that someone would play a trick on me that would embarrass me or make me look foolish in front of other people.

“Fool” is also not a word I use very often. I prefer to think of myself as wise and to keep company with others who are also acting more from wisdom than foolishness. Fools lack good sense or judgment. Fools aren’t interested in learning and aren’t teachable (Proverbs 1:7). Fools don’t listen to others (Proverbs 18:2) and trust mostly in themselves (Proverbs 28:26). I definitely don’t want to fall into any of these categories.

But because this day falls right after Easter weekend this year, I’ve been thinking about what the Bible says about the gospel message: “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.” This passage goes on to say that Jesus became foolish and weak in the world’s eyes in order to put to shame worldly wisdom and strength (1 Corinthians 1:27). A favorite song of mine by Michael Card calls him “God’s Own Fool”:

“When we in our foolishness thought we were wise,

He played the fool and He opened our eyes.

When we in our weakness believed we were strong,

He became helpless to show we were wrong.”

God chose to come to this world in such a way that, once and for all, he silenced all rebellions against his ultimate wisdom and strength.

But it doesn’t always feel like foolishness has been silenced. In fact, in our 21^st century world, it often seems like there are more foolish people than those on the path of wisdom. More people lost and trusting in themselves than those who choose to be saved through surrender to God. Worldly “wisdom” often seems to be winning out over God’s wisdom. There’s a reason for that: “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” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Simply put, without the Spirit’s work in our lives, every one of us would be a fool and act foolishly.

Thanks be to God, 1 Corinthians 2 goes on to share this amazing truth in verse 16: “. . . we have the mind of Christ”. What??? Jesus has allowed us to know everything that he was told by God the Father before his mission here on earth (John 15:15), and the Spirit helps us to understand everything we need to follow God (John 16:13-15). We no longer are destined to be fools; the mind of Christ in us allows us to be wise.

On this April Fools’ Day, let’s pray for those around us who are still lost in the foolishness of the world, who need the work of the Spirit in their lives to find true wisdom.