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 Corinthians 1:18
Mankind has a long history of coming up with good ideas and bad ideas. The world often has an odd sense of what constitutes intelligence and foolishness. I am still amazed that you can purchase a hand-held blow dryer and it has a warning label that says, “Warning: Do not use this product while bathing or showering. Fatal electric shock may occur.” I always want to say, “Do you think?” Who would have thought that something like that may have happened? To do so would definitely be a bad idea and most foolish. Consider also, however, that people have come up with some incredibly good ideas down through the years. I don’t know who it was within the US Postal Service that invented those adhesive stamps that you don’t have to lick, but whoever he or she is deserves a raise. What a brilliant idea.
Sometimes those lines between intelligence and foolishness can be blurred. What the world sometimes calls foolishness, others look at and say, “That isn’t foolish at all.” That’s what the Bible says about the preaching of the cross of Christ. Down through the years many in the world have looked at the cross, and still do look at it, and declare it to be foolish, but for followers of Christ the cross represents life and salvation. Several decades ago there was a movement in the field of psychology that said that all you really need to make it through life is inside you; you just have to be able to reach down inside yourself and find it. As a follower of Jesus Christ I look at such thinking and declare it utter foolishness. When we reach within ourselves and try to find the power to overcome the struggles of life we will surely come up empty. However, when we put our faith in Jesus Christ we will find the power to not just survive life, but to live the abundant life which God offers. In Christ we find victory over those trials of life which otherwise would have overcome us.
Followers of Jesus will be thought of as foolish for believing that God has given us power to overcome the world. The world will often look on in disdain and think that we are foolish. However, God has called us, not to be swayed by the whims and fads of the world, but to walk forward in a Spirit-filled life of victory. That victory can be found in Jesus Christ. That blessed victory is secure and available to all who will believe.
