I'm coming to terms with the fact that I've built my life around a foolish confession: the gospel. The Apostle Paul said it this way, "The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God." (1 Cor 1:18)
In a weird kind of way this clears a lot up for me. Knowing that the gospel doesn't make sense helps make sense out of the rest of my life...if that makes sense. Obviously I'm not saying that following Jesus is about a mindless or thoughtless faith, but that following Jesus will certainly lead you beyond the confines of your brain and what makes sense. In many cases it will lead you in exactly the opposite direction. It's counter-intuitive, counter-culture, counter-comfort.
Lose your life to find it? Serve to be the greatest? Give to receive?
The gospel is a revolution if there ever was one. It somehow goes against everything we know, and at the same time resonates with everything we know. I think this is fundamental to discipleship because following Christ at its core is about trust. Dare I say a foolish trust. It's trusting God more than you trust yourself. It's a trust that at times will test everything in you, and push you beyond your comfort, your intellect, your understanding, your resources, your experiences, your opinions, your theology...It seems foolish, but it's there that you discover the power of God to accomplish what you cannot.
