getting question one right

We see several examples of foolish thinking today in our readings from the One Year Bible. In the OT, we read from Number 14:1-15:16 where the Israelites are ready to elect a new leader and go back to Egypt because they're afraid of the people living in the land that God is giving them. We think of them as being weak and cowardly today, right? But how many times have we turned back from what God calls us to and return to the sin (which Egypt represents) that God brought us out of? Too many times. So let's not be afraid, and continue on toward the promise that He has given us.

In the New Testament, we read from Mark 14:53-72. The Pharisees are being foolish in this passage. They are trying to falsely accuse Jesus so they can kill Him. If they would only take a second and realize what they're doing... trying hard to break one of the ten commandments, so that they can break another one (do not falsely accuse, do not murder)... they might realize that they can't be doing what God wants. Of course, God worked salvation through their actions. Even though what they did was evil, God saved all mankind through what they did. He is the master of taking our foolishness and working great things from it.

And in the Psalms, we read that the fool says in his heart that there is no God. In the past, I've always thought that this was sort of saying that if you think there isn't a God, you're a fool. What an idiot. He doesn't even know there's a God. But when you link this to another verse, the one that says "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom", you realize that the first verse isn't just ridiculing people who think this. The two verses together tell you that the wisdom we're to get on this subject is this: the first step toward wisdom is to realize and acknowledge that God exists. If you think He doesn't, you got question number one wrong. And if you get one wrong, the rest of the questions will be very difficult or even impossible to answer. Have you ever taken a test where one question helps you answer the next one? That's the way it is here. If you get the question, "Is there a God?" correct, it'll help you answer all the others. If you don't... well, good luck. Because even though you might learn alot of facts, if you don't know that God exists, you'll never really have wisdom.

God, thanks for teaching us not to be fools.