Not as Fools

The Twentieth Sunday after Trinity

The Holy Scriptures have a lot to say about fools. The word “fool” or its relatives “foolish,” “foolishly,” and “fools” appear at least 188 times in the Authorized Version, excluding the Apocrypha. During this season of the year, the Daily Office lectionary highlights the importance of avoiding foolishness as we read through the book of Sirach, also known as Ecclesiasticus. This week’s epistle does not suffer a fool, as St. Paul picks up with the Ephesians in chapter 5.

Paul tells us as we near the end of our trek along the Ancient Western Lectionary, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.” (Ephesians 5:15, KJV). I appreciate the use of “circumspectly” in the Authorized Version, as it means more than simply walking carefully. It tells us to walk cautiously. Our steps should be made prudently, as when a hiker ascends a steep incline on treacherous terrain. There must be discernment and vigilance in every step. The next hold might give way – are you rooted in your footing and where your other hand is placed before you make that next step upwards?

If you are not cautious in your next foothold or hand placement, then the rock and soil may give way, and you, along with it. No one said the Christian path was easy. No, far from it, it is dangerous. It will cost you your life.

But unless you walk this path, you will certainly lose your life.

God, my king, thy might confessing,
ever will I bless thy name;
day by day thy throne addressing,
still will I thy praise proclaim.

Honor great our God befitteth;
who his majesty can reach?
Age to age his works transmitteth;
age to age his pow’r shall teach.

Paul wishes us to no longer act as fools, as we did in our prior life in the old Adam. We are to walk “as wise,” because treachery exists all around us. We should not walk in fear, but carefully in such a manner that with a plan and bold determination in the Holy Ghost, we are “redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:16). When I was young in Christ, I wondered how the days could be evil? Yet now I see day by day how evil my old heart is when rooted in the old Adam and how the evil one lurks about seeking those whom he can devour. (1 Peter 5:8). We must be vigilant to root out the heart of old Adam and allow the Holy Ghost to indwell us into the glorified holy temple that God created and redeemed us to be. The New Adam is raised from the dead; now He arises in our hearts and minds to no longer walk about as fools but to serve as enlightened servants of the King.

Too much of the Christian life can be wasted—wasted time, mindless frolics, and sheer laziness. I know, for I speak from experience. I hear St. Paul writing not to the Church of Ephesus, but to me when he tells them, “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:17). How shall I know the will of the Lord? Why, take up and read as the young child providentially sang, thereby spurring St. Augustine to hear, listen, and then take up and read the Scripture. He was never the same, and neither shall we be. The Holy Scriptures are the icon of God’s will, the window to His love poured into our souls. Therefore, do not merely take up and read, but be read by God’s Word and get to work in the Holy Spirit. For God has called you to walk with Him, and it is why He healed you and me, crippled though we may be by our sins, so that we may be made whole and follow Him in love and service all the days of our lives.

They shall talk of all thy glory,
on thy might and greatness dwell,
speak of thy great acts the story,
and thy deeds of wonder tell.

Nor shall fail from mem’ry’s treasure
works by love and mercy wrought:
works of love surpassing measure,
works of mercy passing thought.

“Because the days are evil,” we cannot afford to waste the hours and minutes gifted to us. Instead of seeking the weekend to overindulge, St. Paul commands “be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18). It is hard to redeem the time when we’re sloshed in the spirit of Bacchus instead of filling oursevles in the Spirit God by doing “all such good works as thou hast prepared for us to walk in.” (1662 Holy Communion Rite).

Yet what exactly does redeeming the time look like in the day-to-day? Far too many Christians categorize good works as something where one takes time off work to go and volunteer with a local charity. Certainly, this is a good work, but it overlooks the call of Christ to daily walk with Him along the Way. Open your eyes, for the harvest is before you. Your neighbor is in front of you, from the co-worker, the person in line behind you at the store, and the literal family that lives beside and across from you. Live not as a blind fool, but as a fool who sees your fellow man with the eyes of Christ.

Perhaps an occasion is not presenting itself where you can be the Good Samaritan in someone’s life. Then speak “to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:19). Redeem this moment even now as you read these words by stopping, and singing to the Lord. We live in the age of Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube. Use these conveniences and sing hymns of old with new voices, not merely while alone or working, but within the home and with your families. Teach your children the hymnal. Above all else, redeem the time, even if you cannot carry a tune (like me) by “giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:20).  The season of Thanksgiving is upon us, let us not forget to give thanks daily to God our Father who cares for us more than the birds of the air or lillies of the field.

As we tread cautiously in an evil age, let us boldly and bravely walk “submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” (Ephesians 5:21). Although we live in evil days, we walk victoriously alongside our Savior who conquered and conquers. Let us also walk with the rest of the Church catholic, saving those off the beaten path from their destination to destruction by pulling them from the flames and onto the Way of salvation. Let us walk alongside the saints and help one another both in prayer and in action, all the while in a holy fear of the Almighty God whom we serve. Suffer not your own foolishness by feeding the old Adam. Be foolish in the eyes of the world as you are enlightened in Christ to foolishly serve Him, thereby rescuing the fools who continue in their folly on the broad road. Salvation is near, go be a fool for Christ and bear His good news on your feet as you travel along the Way, and let your lips be filled no more with wine and food but with the Word of Christ’s victory.

Full of kindness and compassion,
slow to anger, vast in love,
God is good to all creation;
all his works his goodness prove.

All thy works, O Lord, shall bless thee,
thee shall all thy saints adore.
King supreme shall they confess thee,
and proclaim thy sovereign pow’r.

Christian, continue your walk and lift your eyes. Do not be downcast, but remember that while the world foolishly forsakes His gracious invitation to the marriage of the Son (Gospel lesson, Matthew 22:2-3), you were “found, both bad and good” to fill the King’s chamber. (Matthew 22:10). Prepare yourself along the Way and strip off the sins of the old Adam. Humble yourself along the Way so you will be prepared to enter the Kingdom naked, yet born again in the Spirit. The world shall mock you in your nakedness, yet it is better to be a fool unto the world and a fool for Christ than to be wise in the World and ignorant of the Way of Life. Better to be naked to the world’s sins and death and to enter the Kingdom clothed in Christ.

Clothe not yourself along the Way with the baggage of the world, for it shall weigh you down into hell and death. There are those invited to sojourn along the Way, but they have not heeded the call to drop their old hearts and be filled by the new one. They scoff at stripping off their filthy clothes, not realizing they come unprepared and not in good faith. Alas, it shall be for them as for the “man which had not on a wedding garment.” (Matthew 22:11). The King told his servants, “Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:13-14).

Be not a foolish sojourner on the Way. Put on the wedding garment of Christ’s death and resurrection. Cling by faith to your baptismal garment of yesteryear and remember your baptism by trusting Christ alone so that your old Adam is clean gone, and all that remains is Christ in you. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22).

Remember your baptism, remember your faith, for by it you were called and in faith you are chosen. Be “confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6). Although the old Adam dies hard, you hold fast to Jesus Christ and remain in Him. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” He shall hold you fast, hence we pray “O Almighty and most merciful God, of thy bountiful goodness keep us, we beseech thee, from all things that may hurt us, that we, being ready both in body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish those things that thou wouldest have done, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (Collect of the Day).