2025-03-25 A Meditation on Foolishness
“3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Pe 1:3-11 ESV)
It is a more foolish aspect, a flawed nature most subtle, things we at times see and repent of, that shall no longer be an impediment to entering the tomorrow war. That is, routine and rote, these things are difficult to break out of, difficult to wake up suddenly empty-handed or sleep-deprived and try and get about one’s business. Those hours: such shall be a New Phase called War, when we gave, donated, resolved the time spent and the exasperated settlement on new digs most unfamiliar.
Cubby-holed away, it was a safer day, a more gentle opportunity, a calmer disposition, when we made our eternal promise to be a Christian. This, after all, is a coming-of-age, a final Testament that we cannot easily go back upon: nor do we need go back upon it. Lancing forth this way and that, walking home having bidden farewell, with subtle tears in one’s eyes: is this my “rest of life”; where, after all, am I on the coming to age, to adulthood, scale. People do things at young ages these days.
Built up in the Spirit, we with gladsome hearts do the back-and-forth, the “what if”’s, the willingness to change course, met with the firm resolve to be true to our instinct and our word. Those we honor—it is because, just as we ourselves ask, “Am I a good man or woman?”—those we honor we do so because they have dispersed the suspicions sown; they have upheld a dignity rare. And all of us, flipside to moral code being that plaintive yearning after selfish things, forgetful things, abandonments and denials; all of us do so well to have an Apologist who explains our good side, and makes a fuss about our Code.
Therefore welcome Today that Tomorrow War mentality, wherein we do suddenly ask the existential question, what was I “doing” after all? Yesterday? The day before? We can answer this, but does it depend on who is doing the asking? No longer nursed by a go-to career, to naming a go-to habit or ritual (going to church, say), we have that existential question, wherein life has thrown a curveball and we are nonetheless not fazed. Yesterday: I was pained. The day before: I was anxious. All this, because our cavalier deeds are deeds of a person and soul in a fulcrum, in a dynamo unintelligible to the analysts and studious ones. “I have a deja vu… as though I am living out a dream of long ago, all of a sudden.” That… that is the inexplicable answer as to “What were you doing a month ago, a year ago?” Answer: the same thing I’m doing now: not breaking trust with my Conversion. Finding Mission and Persistence in my Calling. Weaning off the pain, and drinking deeply from the Quality of Life fountain.