The Fine Line Between Faith and Stupidity
Deuteronomy 11:25
"There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the LORD your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you."
My dad would often make the statement that there is a fine line between faith and stupidity. Trying to determine that line can seem very difficult, but in reality it really is very easy to discern. When you are able to discern the line between faith and stupidity is when you will be able to do great things for God if you will learn to step out by faith.
I recently talked to a preacher friend about the subject of faith. He told me that he patterned his life after doing whatever God told him to do even if it didn't make sense. For many years he traveled as an evangelist before he became a pastor. He told me that when he stepped out in evangelism that he didn't have any meetings, but he knew he was supposed to go in evangelism. God blessed that decision and used him in many churches to be a help.
I recall when I stepped out in evangelism, I only had four meetings on my calendar. If a preacher asked me if I had any openings, honestly, I could look forward and backwards and see many openings. Stepping out in evangelism seemed foolish to many people because I wasn't traveling at the moment, and I only had four meetings on my calendar. However, I obeyed because I knew God wanted me to step out into full-time evangelism. Though that step of faith seemed foolish to many, it didn't seem that foolish to me as I knew that God wanted me to be an evangelist.
So, you wonder what is that fine line between faith and stupidity? God said in the verse above, "There shall no man be able to stand before you:..." What a promise from God! In the previous verses God showed Israel how they could have this confidence. Two things were needed to have this confidence. First, obedience to God's commandments. Second, obedience to God's leading. If they obeyed everything that God commanded them to do in His Word, and if they would step out by faith and go forward and conquer the land, then the promise in the verse above applied to them. The fine line between faith and stupidity is simply doing whatever God commands you to do.
Christian, this may not sound that simple, but it really is. Was it hard for the children of Israel to go forward in the land of Canaan and conquer these cities? Sure it was! There were renown cities that were known for their feats. When they came to the city of Jericho, it seemed foolish for them to try and conquer it, but by faith they obeyed and God came through. That fine line was not so fine when obeyed by faith.
For those who have a hard time living by faith, the line between faith and stupidity seems very fine. On the other hand, for those who know to live by faith, the fine line between faith and stupidity is very obvious for that line is simply making sure that God wants you to do it. Christian, it is as simple as knowing that God wants you to do something. If God tells you to do something, then do it. However, if you are not sure that God wants you to do something, then you better be careful because you don't want to cross the line into stupidity. Stupidity is acting on your own ideas and feelings, even if they make since. Faith is acting on God's Word to you, even though His Word may seem stupid to others. As long as you do what God tells you to do, then you have nothing to worry about. God will always be there for you when obey His commands.