August 20, 2025
The human race’s capacity for creativity in idiocy amazes and amuses me. There are endless YouTube videos that provide ample evidence. Even as technology for car safety improves, the number of accidents continues to increase. In spite of warning systems, cameras, lane sensors, air bags, seat belts, four-wheel drive, parking assist, and automation, we still find all sorts of ways to wreck and hurt ourselves. Every time a new technology comes out, I think that this may put collision shops out of business, only to see that once again, mankind’s stupidity arsenal is more than capable of overcoming the new found safety obstacle.
There are certain stories from my high school years that I will never share from the pulpit since I was a card-carrying member of the idiocy club. The fact that I am alive with both arms and legs still attached is only by the grace of God. I fully understand the lunacy of the appeal of accepting a challenge, no matter how ridiculous it is in order to say that I did it. I would like to think however, that even the earlier version of me was not completely void of rational thought. Even in my really stupid days, even I knew some things were over the line.
Apparently, there is a 9-9-9 challenge that has been in vogue for the last 10 years. The person who accepts this challenge attempts to eat 9 hot dogs, drink 9 beers within a 9-inning baseball game. Now, I ate an entire apple pie in an hour one time, and on several occasions an entire pizza, and in college I used to get a ½ gallon of ice cream, and eat the entire thing with a friend before it could melt. Today, I wonder who that person was. But 9-9-9? That is insane. For one, I don’t drink beer. Never have, and doubt that I will. But even subbing that out for a pop, the very thought causes my intestines to start winding up like a string of last year’s Christmas lights. Yeeeewwww! I read an account of some who accepted the challenge, and my view of the human race’s capacity for madness was only reinforced.
In order to survive in this world, I’ve determined that we should accept the fact that stupidity is actually pervasive and is here to stay for the foreseeable future. Adjusting expectations can help one be calmer and accepting of things. Crazy is therefore, not actually crazy, but is normal. So, yes, crazy is still technically crazy in that it should be crazy, but since there is so much that happens that goes into the crazy file, crazy is not abnormal, but the norm. Yea, I know, that’s crazy. Therefore, crazy things should not surprise us. The human race, while possessing an incredible capacity for art, beauty, design, and advancement sadly possesses an even greater capacity to destroy itself. Case in point: The Russian/Ukrainian war. Putin’s war has cost his country over one million casualties. This is in a country with a birthrate of 1.41. For what? How does this make any sense? Ego is very costly. But Putin and Russia do not have a corner on the market of ego-driven madness. It is in all of us.
Given the right (or wrong) circumstances, we all have the capacity for doing really foolish and sinful things. Those who say, “I would never …” are the most vulnerable. Knowing and accepting the frailty of our human condition causes us to not lean on our own understanding, but to lean on God for grace and wisdom so we can avoid the landmines. As the old hymn says, “I need Thee every hour, every hour I need Thee.” Thank God, He runs to those who pray this.
Grace and peace,
Bob
Sunday’s Text: Luke 13:18-21