Fool Me Once

Today's passage:  I Corinthians 1:12-22
     "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."
     How foolish does it seem to keep proclaiming a message with nobody listening?  How silly does it look to daily declare that there is a Heaven and a Hell and each day we reject Christ, we have chosen the latter?  How ridiculous does it sound to hear a street preacher trying to gather a crowd around to warn them of their eternal future?  To those who do not know Christ, these repeated actions make them laugh.  They scoff at us.  They shake their heads, roll their eyes and sigh.  Those crazy Bible believers.  Why do they keep at?  Why don't they just leave us alone in our unbelief? 
     Satan has a covered trap so carefully designed that each step closer guarantees him another soul.  I could be standing right beside it, shouting at the top of my voice, warning against the trap, and still people would ignore me and fall.  I could even uncover the trap and gesture wildly at it, making sure people were aware it was there, and still people would brush right past me, into Satan's lair.  Should I give up?  Maybe some people throw things at me, maybe some people laugh at me as if I'm a circus clown, maybe some people push me out of the way or cover my mouth.  Do I throw my hands up in the air, yell at them that they are blind, and go my way?  Of course they think I'm foolish.  Even though I warn them about the trap ahead, they can't see it.  Except, now I see somebody thinking it over.  That person's step has slowed.  She is straining her eyes to see ahead.  Her eyes widen as she realizes what she has nearly walked into.  She looks my way.  How does she avoid the trap?  I tell her.  She is grateful.  Not to me, but for the message.  She has joined me in warning others.  She sees a family member walking that direction.  She grabs his arm.  He yanks away, brows furrowed, determined to stay on his path.  She is devastated.  Why can't he see it?  Why does he ignore her?  They are family.  I'll tell you why.  She understands the power of the cross.  She has experienced God's saving grace, her eyes have been opened to what it has done for her, she can live a life without fear of falling into Satan's pit.  Her family member thinks she is foolish.  He hears the warnings, but they mean nothing to him because he doesn't see any trap.  He thinks she has listened to the wrong people.
     The unsaved world will always think that proclaiming the cross of Christ is a foolish thing to do.  Like Jeremiah, who had no converts, we sometimes wonder if anybody is listening, if anybody is paying attention, if anybody will realize what Christ did for them.  There will be some, as the time for Christ's return approaches, they will be fewer.  But the number of people who follow Christ is not why we still need to be a witness.  Maybe nobody will believe.  It seems foolish to keep shouting out a message that nobody takes seriously, that everyone scoffs at, that causes people to avoid us.  Yet, it is what we must do.  We must keep telling people because even if people ignore us, the trap is still there.  Even if they don earplugs and shut their eyes completely, there might be one person who sees the cross and wonders what it is about.  As foolish as it seems, to the person who accepts Christ's work, it is powerful.  As ridiculous as it sounds in the ears of the unbelievers, it is sweet music to the one who has never heard, and believes.  God's Word is powerful.  God's plan is powerful.  It is foolish to believe otherwise.