a folly for the world, not fa la la la la

i've been thinking lately about foolishness and how there's a good form of folly and one that is "raca"/ a not-so-good form.

there's the fact that God, who created the universe and humans and snapdragon flowers, bumblebees and pelicans in all His infinite power could have entered humanity brandishing all that power, as some sort of political figure (which was what many Jews still think is what Messiah will look like), but no, instead, He came in the form of a baby. A BABY- which have to be the most vulnerable and dependent state of human. i sometimes hold a baby aware how fragile their tiny skulls are, nervous about dropping them especially when they are in the wiggly stage. and yet that's how He came down to our level. He pooped in his diaper and had to be fed by another hand- not exactly how I would have pictured the King of Kings and Prince of Peace. i think in some ways He could have taken the wide path, but instead chose the narrow one by which to walk down.

i'm experiencing a tender san diego christmas replete with fog, but still wearing flip-flops. yesterday we met up with a friend and his son at a starbucks. as we talked about his wife who is not in relationship with Jesus, i reminded him of the insight that says "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 can see the folly in all of it, i can, but i think we all have this "ON/OFF" switch in our hearts, you know? and can see how the Holy Spirit is the only one that can flick it to the on position clarifying for us in a light that contrasts all reality apart from veneer- and at this point it's up to each of us to say yes- this is reality and i want to walk in it or the other response is complacency where we choose to go back to what we know, trusting in the known, rather than the unknown.

which is foolishness.

imagine that everything you ever thought to be worthwhile- owning 2 great cars and a nice home, a "successful" job turned out to be folly- that these things will not last, that lo and behold cars break down over time, a house can be turned to cinder in a matter of moments, and unemployment could knock on your door faster than domino's pizza delivers- there is folly in placing all of one's belief in that system too.

here's the deal: everyone believes in something. we are created to worship. the question is what do you believe in/ what do you worship? and will it stand the test of time?

for it to hold all your belief and trust and then not to last, that must be the greatest folly of all.