Foolish Things
Foolish Things
God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. (1 Cor. 1:27)
Fool for Christ
When most people think of the late Manute Bol, they think of a man with pencil-thin arms and tree saplings for legs, a basketball player who was ridiculed for being a physical anomaly rather than a star athlete. And when his career was over, he appeared to be just another one of those “hungry for the spotlight” athletes as he dabbled in other sports.
But a closer look at this athlete from Sudan reveals a heart of courage and compassion. As a young man growing up in Africa, he once killed a lion with a spear while protecting the cattle he was herding. Upon his arrival in the NBA, many believed the gangly center was just a circus act to sell tickets for his team. But Bol knew God had a plan for his life.
Whose Fool Are You?
At a time when many athletes go broke on cars, houses, jewelry, and groupies, Bol spent his salary building hospitals and schools in his war-torn Sudan. And when he retired from basketball, he continued to raise money, strapping on boxing gloves, skating on a minor-league hockey team, even racing horses as a jockey. He looked foolish in such efforts, but he wasn’t afraid to humble himself for the sake of others. How about you? Looking like a fool for Christ for the right reasons is anything but foolish.
Bottom Line
Want to be really free? Give yourself to Christ today, with no thought of your reputation.