This week, we begin with a commercial that takes place on the popular game show Jeopardy!:
On the face of it, this commercial is absurd, with a person dominating on Jeopardy! who has no business being on the show in the first place -- and he's rude (kind of like a seventh grader) to boot. However, this commercial rather neatly corresponds to one of the most famous passages from the apostle Paul, the beginning of 1 Corinthians, where he asks "Hasn't God made foolish the wisdom of the world?"
The issue of wisdom and foolishness as it applies to faith is a dicey one in theology. On the one hand, many very smart people have wrestled with the meaning and essence of Christianity over the centuries, never agreeing with each other. On the other hand, there is a distinct egalitarian impulse in Christianity -- stretching all the way back to the time of Christ -- in which wisdom is seen as what we would probably call "common sense." (In fact, "common sense" is a term that first gained prominence in theology and Christian-inspired philosophy.) Both views have merit.
The truth is that we must seek wisdom where it is found. In faith, wisdom can be found in many places by many types of people. Sometimes it is highly specialized and academic, but other times it is common -- so common that the hoity-toity types call it "foolish." The most foolish thing in faith, at least for Paul, is the meaning of the crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus' death can be explained as the unavoidable consequence of trying to change a powerful status quo, with little real effect gained by such sacrifice. Our faith, though, suggests that this act of an oppressive justice system leads ultimately to divine justice, and that Jesus' death is neither insignificant nor inconsequential, but instead filled with ultimate meaning.
As we grow in our faith, we must confront times when we think our faith is based on foolish things. Sometimes, we must even face the fact that what we used to believe strongly may be foolish. But we find other things, some of which we once assumed were foolish or silly, that are now filled with meaning and importance. And our spiritual growth continues.
Understanding this, though, gives us an important push to action. We cannot simply wait until we "know" enough or we have enough faith. We cannot put off doing things in Christ's name because there is always more to know or more faith to have. We must be God's servants where we are, not where we imagine we would be if we'd been better prepared.
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