13 Feb Willing to Look Foolish

Back in 2013, I started cleaning out one of our old bedrooms and preparing it for a nursery. Ever since that time, we have taken many steps to prepare in faith for our children. We have purchased baby items, saved our money, talked about baby names and more.

It doesn’t make sense to the natural mind. Why would someone who was told they could never have children prepare a nursery? Why would they pray over baby names? Why would they buy baby clothes?

Believing for babies, when you have a diagnosis that Colby and I do, seems foolish.

But I am convinced what looks foolish to non-believers and in all truth, some believers too, God would consider faith.

From Genesis to Revelation, scripture is full of people looking foolish.

I think about Abraham in Romans 4, who despite all odds, even when things looked hopeless, believed and expected God to fulfill the promise that He would become a father. What looked foolish to everyone around him, was actually considered faith.

I think about Mary in John 12, who anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume. What looked foolish to the highly indignant was actually considered honor to Jesus.

I think about Joshua’s army in Joshua 6, who marched around the walls 13 times. What looked foolish to everyone else, was actually obedience to God.

The list of Bible stories containing people who looked foolish could go on and on.

Following Jesus, as clearly outlined in scripture, takes the willingness to look foolish. When Paul is addressing the apostles in 1 Corinthians 4:10 he mentions being “fools for Christ.” And if you want to truly follow Christ, there will be a cost involved. Not only will you have to be willing to take risks, but just like Abraham, Joshua’s army, Mary, and so many more, you have to be willing to look foolish.

The things Colby and I have believed for have looked foolish to so many around us. We have taken risks for Jesus and have faced a lot of pushback because of it. The miraculous that we are believing for doesn’t make sense to the human mind. But according to scripture, it’s not supposed to either.

If things made sense to our natural mind or we could already see what we are waiting for with our physical eyes, it wouldn’t be faith (2 Corinthians 5:7). Scripture addresses this in 2 Corinthians 4:18 too, reminding us that we are not to focus our attention on what is seen but on what is unseen. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Which means faith doesn’t, shouldn’t and will not make sense.

A foolish person is one who acts without sense. When I read what scripture says about faith, especially in the verses above, the definition of faith and the definition of foolishness sure sound the same to me! Neither of them make sense to our natural mind and faith most certainly won’t make sense to the people around us.

Which means, if you want to live out a faith-filled life, it’s going to take your willingness to look foolish.

Are you focusing not on what is seen, but unseen? Are you willing to look foolish? Are you willing to face mockery and misunderstanding from those around you?