Wise or Foolish - We all Have Potential to Change

“Even the wisest men make fools of themselves about women, and even the most foolish women are wise about men.” ~ Theodor Reik

This quote makes it clear that even smart people make stupid mistakes, and foolish people can make smart ones. I do not believe it is only saying that men are foolish and women are wise when it comes to the opposite gender. There are many cases where women have made just as many mistakes when it comes to men. I see this quote and I think immediately of men and women in the Bible who have had their lives changed based on decisions they have made. I want to look at a few of them to give you an idea of what I am talking about.

Story of David

David was a man that was after God's heart. However, David is human and humans have weaknesses. He was a good looking man and everyone fawned over him.

"But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them." - 1 Samuel 18:16

David married Saul's daughter, Michal, who loved him greatly. The feelings were one sided, as David married her more as a dare. Saul ended up giving Michal to another man ending the marriage. Afterwards, David ends up with a harem of wives and mistresses. Even with his wives, he chose to become infatuate with a married woman, Bathsheba.

His foolish decision came when he acted on his feelings. He slept with Bathsheba and she became pregnant. He then had to deal with the husband, and had him killed in the line of duty because he could not get him to lay with Bathsheba during a couple days home.

"And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. And Nathan departed unto his house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the Lord loved him." - 2 Samuel 12:13-24

Story of Rahab

While David was someone who was very wise and made a foolish decision, Rahab is a woman who rose from her past. She is often remembered as being the harlot, mainly because she offered herself to traveling merchants. However, her story does not end there.

Rahab lured spies from Joshua into her home to protect them and assist in their escape. The men came past her home and Rahab promised them that she would not betray them. They hid on her roof and waited for the pursuers had passed on. While she knew the sin of being a harlot, she also learned the power of the Lord. She felt a call from the Lord and acted on faith.

When she hid the spies, she gave them the ability to flee to Joshua in the night. They would have died had they been caught, and yet Rahab was extremely calm when she met with the pursuers. She betrayed her country by hiding spies and lying to the king's pursuers. She had to remain calm in both appearance and in voice to keep the spies safe.

The spies promised Rahab that when they returned with Joshua and his army, she and her family would be spared. Rahab was cared for her family, even though they had distanced themselves from her due to her sins. While Rahab did lie, she did so to protect the Lord's army. She held fast to her faith that she and her family would be passed over with the scarlet rope that hung in the window. Jericho was to be completely demolished, but Rahab and her family were removed to safety first.

"And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the Lord: they shall come into the treasury of the Lord. So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword. But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her. And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel. And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho." - Joshua 6:17-25

Rahab then went from harlot status to being one of the ancestors of Jesus Christ. The Lord sanctified her name because of the sacrifice she made through faith.

What's the Lesson?

So, what do we take from all this? I would hope that you could see that regardless of your past, your future is open to change. Being a follower of Christ is not easy. The path is difficult and the temptations will always be there. David did not handle the temptation well, and lost a child because of it. However, he did repent and after facing the consequences of his actions, he went on to do great things.

Do not let your past mistakes prevent you from seeing that God views you with great potential. Imagine what the storyline would have been had Rahab not acted on faith? You do not have to be perfect for the Lord to use you. Just as you should not expect all men to be faultless. We will all stumble and fall, and the Lord will give us our consequences. I hope and pray that regardless of where you are at now, you come to understand the true love of Christ.