foolishness – The Peanut Gallery

Reading, Reflection & Prayer

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.

Reading: Proverbs 10 (NLT) – click here

Reflection & Prayer

Be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. – Ephesians 5:15

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. – James 1:5

Generous God: I need your wisdom more than ever to know how to live as a citizen of heaven in these changing and confusing times. Show me how to apply these eternal truths from today’s readings to my present circumstances that I might live a joy-filled life.

Wisdom brings joy

Pro 10:1a – “A wise child brings joy to a father…”

Wisdom will:

Save my life, satisfy my hunger, motivate me to work hard, bring me blessings, build happy memories, make me teachable, guide me safely, promote peace, become life-giving, give me understanding and common sense, enhance my life, correct me, restrain me, be an encouragement to others, and provide a lasting foundation for my life – grounding me in the hope and happiness that comes from reverence of God.

Foolishness brings grief

Pro 10:1b – “a foolish child brings grief to a mother.”

Foolishness will:

Lead me to dissatisfaction and wickedness, laziness, irresponsibility, disgrace, violence, corruption, trouble, failure, hatred, quarrels, disaster, punishment, destruction, dissipation, lies, deceit, fear and hopelessness; foolish people talk endlessly about nothing and irritate others. Foolish people ignore God and live shallow precarious lives.

Generous God; I look to you today for wisdom to honor you in what I say and do, and to be an encouragement to those around me. Through Jesus Christ my Lord – the Way, the Truth, and the Life – who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
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“God I look to You” – Bethel Music

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Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

A God´s Fool Sitting On the Snow, by Vasily Surikov, 1885 — A God´s Fool Sitting On the Snow,
by Vasily Surikov, 1885

A saint who has the title Fool-for-Christ is one who is known for his apparent, yet holy, insanity. This title in Russian is Yurodivyi.

Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. (1 Corinthians 3:18-19 KJV)

One form of the ascetic Christian life is called foolishness for the sake of Christ. The fool-for-Christ set for himself the task of battling within himself the root of all sin, pride. In order to accomplish this he took on an unusual style of life, appearing as someone bereft of his mental faculties, thus bringing upon himself the ridicule of others. In addition he exposed the evil in the world through metaphorical and symbolic words and actions. He took this ascetic endeavor upon himself in order to humble himself and to also more effectively influence others, since most people respond to the usual ordinary sermon with indifference. The spiritual feat of foolishness for Christ was especially widespread in Russia. –(Excerpted from The Law of God, Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, NY: 1993)