Wisdom That Looks Like Foolishness

When I was a senior in high school, we had to read the book Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis for our apologetics class. If you haven't read that book -- first... change that status and read it -- but understand that you will be reading sentence by sentence. What I mean is, it's not a book that you can skim. It's a book where every sentence makes you stop, think, turn it around, go back, read it again, pause, ponder, read it once more... and on and on.

It's deeeeeep. And as a senior in high school with way too much on my plate, I didn't appreciate it like I should have (and do now years later). C. S. Lewis is one of the best apologists of the Christian faith I've ever had the privilege to read, and that admiration is all the more compounded by the fact that I -- like Moses in Exodus 4:10 -- "have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant; I am slow of speech and tongue." 

But look at the work God gave Moses to do! Despite his "lack of eloquence," Moses managed to write the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy), as well as, you know, lead a nation out of slavery and to the Promised Land, pausing now and again to part a sea or win a battle by raising his arms or bring water out of a rock (granted, God did those things, not Moses, but Moses put himself in a position to be used by God). 

You know the thing that really sets Moses apart from many of the other people I read about in Scripture? He devoted so much time to seeking the Lord, spending time in His presence, on his face before God. Here's a small sampling of a much greater swath of examples, and feel free to look them up. It's encouraging: Exodus 32:11, Exodus 32:31, Exodus 33:7-11, Numbers 16:4, Numbers 16:22, Numbers 16:45, etc. In scripture verse after Scripture verse, Moses sought the Lord. He sought him so strongly that the glory of the Lord physically radiated from his face (Exodus 34), and he placed a veil over his face to keep the glory of God from blinding the Israelite people.

Here was a man who did not necessarily meet the expectations of the world for a "strong leader" ("I have never been eloquent," and we expect eloquence from our leaders, don't we?) and who ended up being one of the greatest leaders in the history of the world -- because he sought the Lord.

In 1 Corinthians 3:18-20, Paul writes this: "Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a 'fool' so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: 'He catches the wise in their craftiness,' and again: 'The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.'"

I mentioned the other day that I love a good debate. It's true, I do love watching a good debate, but here's a not-so-secret fact: I hate participating in debates. Why? Because I can never think of a good response until long after the intensity of the moment has passed.

I've joked about this, but this is seriously how I operate: When my husband and I get into disagreements (it happens!), he 'wins' the debate in the heat of the moment, because I can't think of a single thing to say or how best to say what does come to mind. When we leave the situation and I cool down, then the words come. I pull out my pen and paper, write out a way-too-wordy treatise from my point of view, put it on his pillow to read when he comes to bed, and I go peacefully off to sleep.

A marriage counselor might frown at our methods, but it has worked thus far. :)

All that to say this: When we're caught up in wise words, wise rationalizations, wise logic systems, wise debates... we may not be listening to the Holy Spirit and the wisdom He freely offers when we just take the time, like Moses did, to seek His face. As David writes in Psalm 143:8: "Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul."

Paul goes on in 1 Corinthians 3:21-23: "So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future -- all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God."

In context, the Corinthian church was embracing the best debater. The best orator. The best preacher. The best apologist. And when some pitched Paul against Apollos, C. S. Lewis against Tim Keller... a rift opened up in the church. Paul called them on it: Stop it.

"No more boasting about men. All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas..." In other words, everything that you embrace is what these men are preaching about, not the men themselves. What are these men preaching about? Christ. You are of Christ, and Christ is of God, and therein is our call, church: Unity with one another and with the Father.

Is the church unified today? The Scriptures make a clear metaphor using the church as a body with Christ as the head (1 Corinthians 12, for instance). Over the last couple of days, I keep coming back to that vision the Holy Spirit gave me of the forearm separated from the rest of the body (check out this post for more description of it). There is a rift happening in the church, a separation -- of those who place Christ as the head, from those who look like they are a part of the body, but who deny Jesus' headship and His instructions for the church. These are the ones who "have a form of godliness, but deny its power" (2 Timothy 3:5). These are the ones who "will not put up with sound doctrine, but instead, to suit their own desires, will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths" (2 Timothy 4:3).

"But you," Timothy, but you, church, "keep your head in all situations." You can read that two ways: First, keep your head, as in -- seek the Lord and think and pray about what you do while you do it. But secondly... keep your Head, as in keep Christ as your Head, so that you remain a part of His body.

"Keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry" (2 Timothy 4:5).

Moses sought the Lord, again, and again, and again, and again. He stayed on his knees or his face until the Lord showed him what to do. He did not depend on his own eloquent words; he listened for the Lord's words instead. He looked for the wisdom of God and didn't leave until he got it. Like Mary, sitting at the feet of Jesus, he "chose what was better" (Luke 10:42), and it was not taken from him.

Yesterday, I posted some lyrics from the song "Don't Stop the Madness" by Tenth Avenue North to my Facebook page:

"All I hear is what they're selling me,
That God is love, He isn't suffering
And what you need's a little faith and prosperity.
But, oh my God, I know there's more than this;
If you promise pain, it can't be meaningless.
So make me poor, if that's the price for freedom.

Don't stop the madness,
Don't stop the chaos,
Don't stop the pain surrounding me.
Don't be afraid, Lord, to break my heart
If it brings me to my knees."

This is a challenge for me, and feel free to make it yours, too. Don't get up off your knees. Stay there in front of the Lord, until He speaks to you, until He speaks through you. Even if the world says you're crazy, even if you've got people you love drawing away from you: "That's foolish. You look insane."

Y'all, as Paul says: Don't deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this 2021 age... he should become a 'fool,' so that he may become wise. Why? Because the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. Seek His face. When you don't know what to do, get on your knees. When you think you do know what to do, get on your knees anyway and double check. Stay there. Listen, be encouraged, be fed. Let the glory of the Lord make your face radiant. Get yourself out of the way; let Him flow through the cracks in your vessel. He is the all-surpassing power, the greatest treasure, after all. Sit at the feet of Jesus; choose what is better. The treasure won't be taken from you.