Faith or Folly

     "Walk by faith and not by sight..." is one of the most profound verses in the Bible.  It is also one of the more difficult ones to live by.  It is what I have longed to do all my life.  I think that before I get rolling I should probably give a definitive definition--if anything can be definitive. I think the most profound definition of faith--as I apply it is probably is outlined in Hebrews 11: 1: 

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen..."

     How much faith does the average person have?  Is "average faith" enough to get you through life?  What happens when your AVERAGE FAITH is tested?  How do you know the difference between stepping out on faith and the folly of a fool?

    I have been asking myself all of these things over the last few months.  I have a profound belief in a higher power and my reasoning is simple:  all the good in life I have experienced could not have been generated completely by me.  The reverse is also true:  there have been too many instances of rough times that I have gotten through solely because of people put in my path.  I think that faith by its very nature is built to be tested.  The reality is that having it tested is the only way to know if you have it and how it will hold up. For my part, I have every reason to have faith but I waiver during the test part.  When I started this piece it was going to be about how people are able to make decisions that seem shocking to others but are OK with them and where the line between faith and foolishness my lay.  As I have experienced sending my child off to college, I have a defferent feeling about the whole thing--a personal awakening if you will.

    For my first question, I think that faith increases with each blessing or bit of grace that a person allows in their life.  In the end, we take a role in determining whether we receive the blessing or not.  I worry a lot.  My mother will say that it's because I don't pray enough.  At this point and upon further observation, she may in fact be right.  I need to pray more, harder and better and I am working on that.

    For how much faith you need to get through your life, I've come to believe that this may be taken care of for us.  Every person of faith and with faith will find when they have needed to step out on it, it was there.  Myself included.    My faith can be weak but I have concluded that no matter how weak your faith it is always strong enough to stand on.

    For the difference between faith and folly--it doesn't really seem to matter.  The only thing that will allow you a moment of folly is planting your feet in faith.  The reality is that no folly is such if it is done in act of faith.  So while it may look foolish to the outside world, all one has to do is believe.  I have opportunities to step out on faith.  Some realized and some squandered.  There have been times when faith stepped in on me. 

    At the end of the day, it matters very little how your faith is dissected.  It only matters if you are strong enough to stand on it because it is strong enough to hold you--no matter what you think.  Step lively and get it done.