Whose Fool Are You?
by Sean Bass

Church! Who needs it!? I wasn't raised in a Christian home, though while growing up I went to church with my Grandmother some. That was enough to see the gossip and slander that went on, which seemed to be more important to some of the people than what the preacher had to say. Those experiences really shaped my perspective of what church and God were all about. Even kids at school claiming to be Christians only reaffirmed what I thought and felt about religion as a whole. If I was looking for something real, it wasn't there. Over the next few years I realized that I didn't want to be a part of that scene. I decided that church and God had no place in my life.

High school opened new doors for me in the way of self expression and experimentation with drugs and alcohol. By that time I had convinced myself that there was no God. I considered myself to be an atheist. I was the only "god" I needed. I viewed Christians as hypocrites and fools, who were weak and unable to think for themselves. I didn't need anyone telling me what to do. I was a great deceiver, fooling my teachers, parents, my friends, even myself. They all thought I had it together.

After getting out of high school I felt like I had a pretty good grip on life. Although I still claimed atheism, I started to have a feeling that there was something more. I was too proud to ask any questions about God because I had already taken such a bold stand against religion in my life and in my heart. But at my job, there was a co-worker who was a Christian, and there was something different about the way he handled his faith. It wasn't something that he did just on Sunday mornings, he lived it during the week. He didn't criticize me even though I was lost. He prayed that God would change my heart. He was real, which was something I wasn't used to seeing. That made an impact on me. I worked beside him for a couple of years just watching his life. His obedience to God left a lasting impression on me.

By this time I was married and my wife was a Christian, but I still had my doubts. One day we were invited to a church that was starting a new casual worship service and my wife kept bugging me about going. I finally gave in to make her happy because I didn't have to wear a tie. I figured I would go one time to get her off my back.

When we first walked in the building that Sunday it was not like any other church I had been to. The people had a realness that I was not expecting. No one looked at us funny like we didn't belong, they just made us feel welcome and accepted. We started going there pretty regularly, and over the next year God started working on me. My eyes were opened, and I realized that God was real, and that He was revealing Himself through the love of the Christians around me.

As I was getting ready to go to church one Sunday morning, I knew something was different about that day. God revealed to me that this was the day for my salvation.

2 Corinthians 6:2
behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

I could hardly wait to get to church. If you asked me today what the sermon was about, I couldn't tell you. All I wanted was to get to the altar and accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

That moment changed my life forever. I was saved! It felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. For years it was I who had been a fool, believing the lies and deceptions that were put in my head by the world. Now I am a new man. And if I'm a fool now, I am a fool for Christ. I thank God he never gave up on me even though I had cursed and mocked His name. He still loved me enough to send His only son to die in my place so I could spend eternity in heaven with Him, and He loves you that much too.

The Bible says in Psalm 14:1: "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God." Proverbs 28:26: "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: But whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered." Don't be fooled. There is nothing you can do to earn your salvation. John 14:6: "Jesus saith unto him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me."

I am a fool for Christ. Whose fool are you? Will you consider God's gift of salvation, and pray to Him now?

"Lord God, I know that I am a sinner, and can do nothing to make myself right in your eyes. But I believe you can. You loved me so much that You willingly sent your only Son to die on the cross so that my sins could be forgiven. I believe Jesus was the only one who could do that because He was sinless. Lord God, please forgive me for my sins. Jesus, please come into my heart and life and take control of it, because I've made such a mess of it. Thank You, Lord, for loving me that much. Thank You for Your totally free gift of salvation. I pray in Jesus' name, Amen."