There is some outside chance I might possibly grasp the concepts of stellar gravitational forces. I may quickly grasp the concepts of angular momentum. I might come to understand particles and gases filtering different spectrums of light and condensation of gaseous Dihydrogen monoxide suspending on thermal currents in the atmosphere. However, if reasoning this out, I miss the beauty, I am so much less than the child, ignorant of these causes, who rejoices in the foolishness of a sunrise, shining burnt orange through high clouds.
Faith is foolishness; for it to be obtained by all; the quick and the slow, it could be no other way. Were it to be gleaned after a time, by some calculation with pencil and paper, it would be the prize reserved for only the clever. Were it to be captured by nimble minds employing great deduction, it would be the earned wages of that labor and beyond the reach of those blessed with simpler intellect. For those burdened by great reason, discerning, deliberating, calculating, minds, this foolishness is near impossible to tolerate, much less accept. The greater the intellect, the greater is the affront to sensibilities, to reason. “… to whom much is given, from him much will be required.”
Faith is not something to be earned. It is the gift of God available to the childlike and the wise equally. Simpler minds, unencumbered by the constraints of reason find faith a simple gathering, something merely accepted as a gift given without strings. For the more complex minded it is a great difficulty requiring something outside the comfortable confines of reason. Beyond reason, indeed unreasonable, it requires more from those with more; it demands the surrender of self. In this manner, God has leveled the playing field, made faith available to all, the quick-witted and the dull, the blessed and the burdened, and all in between. All access His gift in the very same manner, childlike faith.
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(The Gospel of Luke)
Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”
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(The Gospel of John)
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
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(Paul’s letter to the Church in Ephesus)
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God
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(Paul’s first letter to the Church in Corinth)
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. For it is written:
“ I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.” And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
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(The Book of Hebrews)
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
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(The Gospel of John)
And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
Jesus therefore answered and said to them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
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Only in my old age, am I coming to realize that it is in the foolishness of beauty and love, lives joy. Only in the unreasonable foolishness of faith are the handles by which that joy may take hold of me.
I recently posted a video on Facebook, and was actually surprised but the reactions, both public and private. I thought the content of the video was quite clear, and dead on … I may be in a minority … but that is nothing new. I frequently poke fun at politics in general, I find it and its most ardent fans much more entertaining than I probably should. This is a one of the few times I will address politics in a serious manner, so let me clarify my position on politics in general, and specifically, the current election cycle.
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