'A fast-track to becoming a Living Saint'
Ira rosenblit, copyright 2006
All Rights Reserved
*The Almighty Himself gave me the following introduction to impart for the sake of the newbie:
"A Fool-for-God is the physical manifestation
of the foolishness of God in action"
The Bible states, "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise". In this paper I will be revealing a walk that can turn anyone into becoming a Fool-for-God (FFG), or foolish thing of God > even me.
People who hope to imbibe this walk will have to be living outside of their comfort zone for most of their day.
This essay is an introduction or beginners manual to this sacred walk. By following this walk you develop a far more intimate relationship with God then you will by following the norm.You evolve into being one of God's Royal Clowns. This is even higher than saving souls! (though, street evangelism is an integral part of this walk. Walking this walk you become a powerful creative, evangelistic tool)
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Introduction: Many of us are familiar with a well-known conversation that took place in the district of Judea 2000 years ago between a young rich man and Jesus Christ.
"Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?" asked the rich young man.
Christ replied by simply telling him to keep the commandments i.e. don't kill, don't commit adultery, don't steal or bear false witness; honor your father and mother and love your neighbor as yourself.
The rich young man was adamant that he had observed all these laws; however he still knew deep inside that something was still restraining him from experiencing a high level relationship with God.
What do I still lack? the young rich man asked Jesus. Jesus replied:
"If you wish to be perfect go sell all you
have, give to the poor, and follow Me!"
Notice, Jesus never said that fellow wasn't saved. What Jesus was saying to him was if you want to obtain the spiritual completeness, the upgraded relationship with God that you desire you can obtain it through making the above complete renunciation of everything that you own. Then serving Christ in abject poverty.
Notice - Jesus is not giving us a commandment, rather He is pointing to a sacred walk > "If you wish to be perfect. . . "
(who is perfect, but God!)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Note: In this paper I am not attempting to glorify myself.
The only reason I am qualified to write on this subject is because I have obeyed this directive of Christ (not while living in a comfortable monastery, but while engaging in full-time street evangelism in the streets of Amsterdam Holland).
Hundreds of years preceding me all the early Franciscans (before they began an Order for married people) have walked this sacred path. Through a vision I was Called to humbly follow their holy example. Likewise, I lived in voluntary extreme poverty for two full years (filling my days with street evangelism), prior to me returning to America. Thus, I speak from direct experience.
(I only left this sacred path because the Lord wanted me to get this wisdom and other sacred things that He taught me to the Church.
Even an end-time spiritual revival plan! (Sadly the likes of the 700 club rejected inter-faith elements of my materials, so they rejected it all. Since I wasn't famous they didn't give me any time to prove the truth of my unorthodox beliefs)
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Contrary to what most Churches teach, the advice
Jesus gave that day to that rich fellow does not just
pertain to him alone, but its a holy invitation to all!
*Now, herein is proof that I am correct about my interpretation:
One of the alltime greatest followers of Christ lived 800 years ago. His name was Francis of Assisi (the city of San Francisco was named after him, he was founder of the Franciscan Order, plus he has many, many other outstanding spiritual credentials far too lengthy to list here). When he first began the Franciscan Order, the Holy Spirit specifically instructed him to make that spiritual directive one of the requirements for joining. As a direct result of his disciples following that divine directive, and then reaping the grace that comes to those who make that total material sacrifice and follow Christ in material poverty (the nature of that grace is the subject matter of this essay!), God gave these disciples comparable sanctity that He gave to the original apostles.
In the 12th Century it was as though the glory of the apostolic age returned.anew {One of the early Franciscan's was taken up into the 3rd heaven like St. Paul, that was Brother Giles. Another, Brother Philip, was touched on the lips by an angel with a burning coal, like Isaiah the Prophet. Another, Brother Sylvester, a very pure virginal soul spoke with God as one friend with another, as Moses did. Another, by the keenness of his mind, soared up to the light of Divine Wisdom, like John the Evangelist - this was Bro. Bernard.
Another early Franciscan was St. Anthony of Padua, an outstanding preacher / theologian. His tongue is still miraculously incorruptible (its still moist!). Why do you think God deigned to preserve a preacher's tongue. The Lord must have a special love for that fellow's sermons!!!!
Last, but certainly not least, St Francis was the first mortal whom God imprinted with the Holy Stigmata (the sacred wounds of Christ!).
(Of course, people with families must provide for their families so they can't follow this directive, literally. Francis of Assisi and all his first companions were single people, so they could safely make that sacrifice without jeopardizing others' welfare)
Also, we all know that if one has bills to pay poverty is a real curse, as it causes so much worldly concern, and impedes generosity.
If one, for the love of God goes homeless and penniless, therefore no longer having financial obligations, this voluntary poverty become a sacred thing. It becomes Holy- Poverty. Without any longer having the worries of bill-paying, this poverty becomes a walk of faith. It becomes a great spiritual adventure!
By walking this path one develops the virtue of faith.
Serving God develops our love for Him, but the walk is faith is like learning an entirely new language.
*The form of Christianity the early Franciscans practiced was very different from the form most Christians follow today. Since Christ Himself (who appeared many times to Francis) told Francis, He preferred Action above Teaching, the early Franciscans followed a non-intellectual, action-oriented form of Christianity. A type of Christianity that produces much good fruit.
For the love of God they lived in voluntary poverty (holy-poverty), and instead of laboring with the intellect (as most Christians do today), these holy simple men labored to develop within themselves every Godly virtue (humility, compassion, courage, patience, etc.).. They knew that that the primary intent of Christianity was to become a person with the character of Jesus.
Also, they believed in the importance of being fruitful in good works rather than spending too much time with their nose in the books. When we spend too much time in theological pursuits we have only a sparse amount of time remaining for deep prayer, evangelism, and performing good works. Thus, if we want to be good stewards its crucial that we utilize our time in a wise and balanced way.
The early Franciscans were responsible for the greatest spiritual revival of the Middle Ages!
(In order to learn more about them I suggest you read the spiritual classic - "The Little Flowers of St. Francis” by Raphael Brown).
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Anyways, at the time I took my faith-plunge I already was living the life as a full-time street minister in and around the vicinity of the red-light district of Amsterdam, Holland. Since my financial support was meager, only $600/month, I was living homeless and using this stipend to pay for my ministry expenses, including my food which I would always share with the street people whom I witnessed to. At that time, I was usually sleeping in the airport (a short train ride from the red-light district)
The month I received my last allotment the Lord gave me a vision of brother Bernard (the first follower of St Francis) gleefully handing out all his money in the town square of Assisi. So, to make a long story short, I gleefully did something like that to the unreceptive people whom I had been spending lots of time witnessing at Schipol Airport! (if they listened to me for 10-15 minutes I gave 25 to 100 guilders)
Anyways, because of my prompt obedience to a hard directive,
the Lord shortly thereafter blessed me in the following way:
He raptured me up to heaven (paradise), briefly, and while there He revealed to me His perspective of what it means to be Poor-in-Spirit (PS). During that rapture He revealed to me that one who fully imbibes the PS way can even attain paradise prior to bodily death! (I like using the word paradise rather than heaven as paradise is far more descriptive of that idyllic place)
When Jesus proclaimed > "Blessed are the Poor-in-spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." >> He meant just that!
(The Lord's definition on PS is far broader then the Church teaches on the subject! Many people are poor but that’s totally different from being PS. PS is about developing gratefulness to God for everything good in our life (large, small, and insignificant)).
The challenge is to develop gratefulness for the mundane, as life is not full of big flashy miracles, but rather full of mundane, commonplace experiences. When we develop gratefulness to God for the commonplace, then we are on a path to becoming spiritually rich! In my past, God used to have to perform flashing miracles in order to capture my attention. Due to walking this path I've learned to become grateful for the numerous small things in life.
The Lord taught me in order to fully develop this gratefulness to Him for the small and insignificant, its crucial that we drastically slow down the fast pace of our life. Then, we must take as much time as is necessary to praise God (aloud) for each and every good thing that comes into our life, and to do so the very moment that we are receiving each blessing
I will be showing you how, by following Christ's directive that He gave to that rich young fellow, and developing the virtue of being PS, are directly connected!
When we follow this directive we immediately enter a state of living in extreme deprivation. Extreme deprivation is the necessary prerequisite that most of us need to develop this gratefulness for the countless mundane things in life, that most of us take for granted.
Shortly after that rapture, the Lord taught me a sure-fire technique to train anyone who so desires to fully imbibe the virtue of becoming PS. Again, one can even attain paradise before bodily death just from fully developing this one virtue! (Jesus stated this at His well-known Sermon on the Mount. Additionally, through walking this path for two years time I was at the threshold of walking into heaven! More said later about this later in the essay.)
By fully developing the virtue of being PS this puts one on a fast-track to attain the kingdom of heaven (living sainthood), just by fully developing this one virtue!! Its a special pipeline to heaven. I'm speaking of a direct route to become more than saved! (Saved is the meaning of becoming a conqueror). I'm speaking of becoming rich in God (This is the meaning of becoming more than a conqueror. Its to become more than saved!)
Note: All spiritual riches come with a price tag, a price one must pay greater than merely studying scriptures.
The moment that we are experiencing our blessing it's essential to demonstrate our gratefulness to Him. The more that we demonstrate our gratefulness to Him the more He feels it! The more He feels it, the more He honors it!
Therefore, its best to get down on one knee, or even much better to throw oneself on one's stomach and kiss the dirty sidewalk or supermarket floor (yes, if front of everyone!), and keep praising God aloud, till you feel that your praising reach Him! The more we demonstrate it, the more God relishes our gratefulness, the more He feels us!
(The famous Christian phrase, ‘Jesus knows my heart’, actually is repugnant to God. Rather, our Heavenly Father is big on believers demonstrating their heart through holy-action!
The Almighty insists that everyone who walks this path demonstrate their gratefulness to Him through some physical expression, the more extreme our expression the better! (Note: The Lord honors a grateful man. . .big time! One can never be too grateful to God!!)
Additionally, the lower that you make yourself (for example: getting on your face) it gives you the ability to exalt God higher, than if one merely praising Him in a humble state. Thus, to be successful in walking this walk you must accept the fact that you will be kissing a lot of dirty floors and lots of sidewalks in front of strangers. Kissing the ground and praising God loudly. Next, often a spirit-filled sermon will spontaneously spring forth (that is why when embarking on this path it helps lots to first be an experienced spirit-filled preacher. Being a spirit-filled preacher compliments this path perfectly!).
Walking this path becomes a process through which you develop the quality of divine-intoxication - just like the apostles exhibited on the day of Pentecost!
To become successful in walking this path, herein are the requirements for a serious Fool-for-God (FFG) student:
1- Living in extreme deprivation (following that Biblical directive)
2- Living in a crowded-city environment, where the streets are brimming with people, not needing to drive a car (cities like Amsterdam, the larger cities of Western Europe, NYC, Boston, etc). That way you can do what I call seamless-evangelism.
3- The serious FFG student needs to live an extremely simple, thought-free lifestyle.
4- (I'm assuming the potential student has already read the Bible) Required reading is the spiritual classic, “The Little Flowers of St. Francis” by Raphael Brown
5- Being experienced in spirit-filled preaching perfectly compliments this sacred walk
Herein is the need to live in extreme deprivation. Please hear the following analogy: Immediately after breaking a long fast, food tastes so precious > doesn't it.
Immediately after one gets released from an extended stay in jail many kiss the ground because they are so grateful for their new-found freedom. Experiencing extreme deprivation for an extended duration of time is the key to becoming grateful to God for the many, many commonplace things in our daily lives that almost everyone takes for granted. For that reason, living in extreme deprivation is the key ingredient to becoming PS!
Additionally, through manifesting a certain miracle the Lord imparted to me a crucial piece of knowledge to help me glean the most benefit from this walk. . .
I was walking alongside a canal and I heard a slapping noise. Slices of bread were being dropped into the canal and ducks were eating them. I looked above and there was neither tree nor building above! Those slices of bread were coming from the Heavens! Through this miracle the Lord taught me that when depending on Divine Providence, as I was now doing, everything that comes to us that we need ought to be looked upon as 'Manna from Heaven!'
What you perhaps are beginning to see is that this sacred-suggestion of Christ is directly linked to becoming a Fool-for-God (FFG)! Following this one directive has a further reaching impact in one's spiritual life, far more than it appears to the casual observer!
*It has the power to revolutionize your Walk just as it did for the early Franciscan-Christians, and it did for me. This Walk has the power to rapidly raise you up into becoming one of God's heavy-weights!!
Also, through embracing voluntary - poverty you are forced to depend on God for everything. For that reason the Lord will begin speaking to you through all the commonplace things that He now will directly provide for you. Therefore, on this path you will develop more phone lines to God than other believers possess.
That is another key!
When following this path the above aspect will make you throw yourself on your face and praise God even more frequently, and louder! It did that to me!! (this leads one to becoming a FFG!)
This continual humiliation / evangelistic lifestyle has a powerful purifying effect for the soul - far more powerful than merely living a humble life. Plus, if you perform this walk in a crowded-city environment, as you humiliate yourself and praise God all the people surrounding you are being preached to! They are being preached to in a way that is most endearing to God. You become a foolish-thing-of-God!
Also, performing these antics makes you frequently laugh at yourself. I'm speaking of heavy laughing; gut-busting laughing! This heavy laughter at oneself breaks the hardness in our hearts that we have developed through sinful living, and it accomplishes this relatively quickly. This is something that you can feel! One begins re-experiencing innocence and purity of heart relatively quickly.
This is yet another key!
For the love of God by living in extreme poverty on the streets of Amsterdam Holland for two full years I personally lived (not studied) this PS lifestyle. This is my firm conviction: None of the people who merely study it can come close to understand the depths of it.
By fully absorbing myself in this lifestyle I eventually attained a wonderful fairy-tale like existence; Paradise. I became extremely happy and literally felt like a male version of Cinderella! If not for my nagging sexual desires I'm convinced that I would have attained paradise during that time! (Every time that I lusted a lady it pulled me out of that exalted spiritual state!)
On another note, recall in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus also proclaimed, "Blessed are those who suffer for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven?"
On account of the depth of my experience with being PS I now understand exactly what Paul meant when he proclaimed
(when facing death),"Oh death, where is thy sting!"
Since he was a man who plunged the depths of suffering for the faith (which admittedly, I haven't done) he had already attained heaven (heaven while in the body). Thus, how could death now harm him? Understand?
Thus, what Jesus is speaking about in these two verses from Beatitudes are two different fast-tracks or special portholes to attain heaven:
1- Poor-in-spirit (PS)
2- Suffering for Righteousness sake
PS follows the path of extreme humility, while Suffering for Righteousness follows the path of courage. One is the high road to paradise, the other the low road!
Now, I'll try to give you a taste of Fool-for-God evangelism -
(Note: Almost all of my sermons were spontaneous outbursts that I can't recall what I said. What I am now imparting to you are a few sermons that stand out in my mind)
Here is one good example of a Fool-for-God witness:
When this deprived man (myself) finally got a need met, like when I found part of a piece of pizza in the trash, it would bring me unspeakable joy! Following the Lord's Poor-in-spirit formula I would at least get on one knee, or much better yet, throw myself on the ground, kiss the ground, then keep praising God till I felt my praises reached heaven (The lower one makes themselves when praising God, the higher it exalts God!). Then without stopping the praises I would stand up and a sermon would spontaneously spring forth. . .
“Its not how many things that we possess that makes us blessed, but rather its how grateful we are to God for what we possess!”
The people who were eating their nice meals at the sidewalk cafes couldn't help but be moved by this spectacle - an impoverished man (eating out of the trash) who is not depressed by his affliction, but rather he is bubbling-over in gratefulness to God! In fact, he is far, far more grateful to God than they are with their nice meals, or for that matter than anyone that they have ever met! He is possibly the most grateful man to God in the entire city!
Yet, he is the poorest!?!?
(Bible states, "The foolish things of God confound the wise"
- This is a perfect example of that Word being fulfilled!)
I swear to you this fact - This is the type of witness that the Lord loves far more than the conventional!
I'm going to be giving you a few more concrete examples, but I've done Innumerable spontaneous sermons than I can't remember.
Here is another example of Fool-for-God evangelism: One day I went for lunch to a Christian soup kitchen. When the opulent meal (by my standards) was presented to me I went into an ecstasy, threw myself on the ground, kissing the floor, praising God loudly! Next, while continually praising God I stood up and spontaneously preached a sermon. The sermon went something like this:
“All this food we eat here is donated in the name of charity, and all charity is given for the love of God. Reminding them that this soup kitchen is funded by Churches.
Next, through my exhortations I was reminding the clients there that since this food was charity, we ought to be very grateful to God for it!!! (unfortunately many people who regularly eat in such places sinfully begin to look upon this form of charity as an entitlement).
Because of my antics most of the other patrons were giggling. But a sizable minority were becoming agitated, and were snarling at me! (the people with devils, many of the homeless, can't stand the presence of a Fool-for-God!). Next, one demonically possessed man, whom I knew from the streets, came over to me, grabbed my plate of food out of my hands, and angrily through it in the garbage. Next, the Christians volunteers who manned the place threw me out because they said that I was making a disturbance (I think they were afraid of the anger I aroused )
Another example: Regularly I would do evangelism on the metro trains and trams. In the aisles I would sing praises to God while using an empty plastic bottle as a drum stick to drum a beat in the palm of one of my hands, while singing a praise and worship song. Next, I would preach whatever the Holy Spirit led me to preach.
Another example: Gandhi said of himself, I am a Muslim, a Christian, and a Jew.
For that reason I am going to call this skit: The Gandhi
>Amsterdam is a town that has a large Muslim population.
In the crowded streets of Amsterdam I was the actor in this skit:
I would wear a Jewish skullcap (yarmulke), and I'd praise Jesus while kneeling on a prayer blanket! On my knees this Jewish man was praising Jesus!?!. . . on a Muslim prayer blanket!?! So what everyone saw was a Jew praising Jesus on a Muslim prayer blanket!!! Of course this spectacle, played out in front of Central Station, attracted lots of attention, and crowds! People coming in from any one of a dozen trams would look down to street level and be able to see this spectacle! Then I'd stand up and give a sermon, somewhat like this: Muslims use prayer blankets. Prayer blankets are a good idea, this wisdom is obviously from God. Prayer blankets afford anyone who lives in a crowded city environment the ability to be able to get on their knees before God and pray, anywhere, without bystanders interfering! Great idea!! Then I'd say, the Muslims have a wonderful idea with the prayer blanket, but they are wrong about Jesus because Jesus is greater than any prophet; He really is the son of God! Next, I'd preach a bit about Jesus!!! Next, I say: The Muslims have prayer blankets, and the Christians have Jesus, but the poor Jews have neither. . .and they are making a huge mistake by considering giving back all that land without first calling for a nation-wide emergency, prayer/ fast to God, seeking His will on this matter!!!
Another example: In spare moments I would often watch the drug addicts beg, and observe the almost continuous rejection that they encountered. I marveled at the perseverance that they displayed in begging in the face of this mountain of rejection. What's more, some of the beggars begged most of the day, and much of the night! Saying to myself, Look at the mountain of rejection that they tolerate for the sake of some money! If anyone suffered that diligently for the Lord, they'd become a Saint! But who will do it???
Guess what happened next??? The Almighty started speaking to me about doing a foolish begging skit on the trams!!! Who says that God doesn't have a sense of humor!
Soon I was on a crowded tram, with my hand out, and I was spouting the following line while begging, "For the love of God, can you spare 5 cents?"
I was quickly moving up and down the aisles, so I could beg from a large number of people in a short time period!
(God had already taught me a secret to help me overcome my ego and readily embarrass myself. Its to think of myself like I am Forest Gump! Recall, Forest was the town idiot. The town idiot is unconcerned about what others may think of him!
When I was having a hard time with my ego my mantra that i would inwardly repeat to myself was, "It doesn't matter what anyone thinks of me, it only matters what God thinks of me")
So, for the love of God, I now had the opportunity to endure a tremendous amount of rejections. . .just like the addicts!
(Performing lots of public-humiliations are painful, but this is a yet another fast-track to become inwardly pure again; Sanctification!)
Note: I didn't do that much of this particular ministry as my main focus, as I told you in chapter 2a, was witnessing to the street cocaine dealers. But, it was obvious to me that this foolish form of ministry is a wonderful way to kill your ego in record time!!! Can't you see that this is true? When I say kill your ego, this is directly linked to destroying one's own sin nature. . . and at warp-speed! That is the reason that this humiliation lifestyle is a priceless walk.
Also, through partaking in public-humiliations in my past I have on numerous occasions experienced God laughing at me! Yes, laughing a me!! Public-humiliations is a big part of the type of humor that the Lord just loves!!!
Interestingly, St Francis has been called - God's Fool.
To the people who gave me angry rebuffs, I would witness to them saying something like, "I'm doing this because the Lord guided me into it, perhaps to talk to someone just like yourself. Please listen: Its crucial not to hate parasitical people, but rather to pity them for their sinful ways, and then try to show them the right path to walk. That is the way that the Lord insists believers act towards our fallen neighbor. That is true compassion!" Otherwise, we can easily fall into the sin of judging.
(Doesn't the Bible state, "Don't judge lest you be judged?")
(That is one sin that I did for years. Albeit unknowingly at the time, when I lived in America. When I abandoned myself to full-time street evangelism God rewound the tapes of my past and revealed to me places in my life where I had been blowing it without even realizing it!)
So, not only did I have the golden opportunity to run the humiliation gauntlet here, but I also had the opportunity to witness to people who I met who had sinfully made the error of embittering themselves towards the seamier elements of society, as I used to do in America. This type of witnessing brought up my past sin of judging my neighbor, and gave me an opportunity to feel remorse, confess, and repent for it!
The proper Godly response is to feel sorry for the riffraff (better to look upon them as fallen souls, rather then to look upon them as scum-bags). Then try to show them the right road to walk!
St. Francis of Assisi used to say,
"Man is converted by meekness and humility far more often than by angry rebuffs."
Can you now see how much God blesses the man who obeys His voice and has enough love of God to walk the harder, less-traveled road? (Note: People who have deep vices are very hard to save)
For me, it became a constant source of embarrassment to frequently, throughout the day, having to throw myself on the ground, kissing the ground, (then praising God loudly). But, nevertheless, that became my sacred-duty - my new lifestyle! And what an ego crusher it was!! (Often, throwing oneself on the ground was the hard part for me, not the publicly praising God part). I was constantly smashing my own ego >a form of continual martyrdom.
I've discovered that the ego and the sin nature are indelibly connected. When we smash our ego, invariably the sin-nature within crumbles! Thus, one grows spiritually very fast on this path! Also, throughout much of the day I was laughing at myself. Additionally, wherever I went this foolishness of mine created a plethora of witnessing opportunities! Witnessing followed me wherever I went, I didn't have to put aside a separate time to witness.
There is a famous saying that accurately speaks of this walk:
"One has to die a thousand deaths before one can truly live."
In order to walk this path well one has to go through countless mini-deaths. These innumerable mini-deaths are powerful medicine for the soul, because they kill the darkness within, thereby returning the soul to its original state of purity and radiance! This walk of humiliation becomes a fast-track to destroy the kingdom of darkness within. Performing public-humiliations is an expedient way to make the soul pure, and it accomplishes this much faster then one who merely lives a humble life of service, as humiliation is much lower than humility! (Isn't the cross of Christ both suffering and humiliation?)
For one who lives a life of humble service for many years, this lifestyle gradually makes the soul humble and pure. The good results that takes many years of performing humble selfless service to accomplish for the soul, through enduring public-humiliations this can be attained in but a handful of months! This is what I have learned from being a veteran of walking both of these roads.
In other words. . .
*Enduring lots of public- humiliations is a fast-track to attaining the blessed virtue of humility and innocence! (This is yet another key learned by walking in the footsteps of the early Franciscan Saints!)
Why is this a fast-track? Because humiliation is far lower than humility! For example, if one athlete works out with heavier weights that athlete will get stronger faster than another who works out with lighter weights. For this same reason practicing public-humiliations is a far more powerful sanctification tool than is merely living a life of humble service. Aren't I making sense?
Compared to conventional spiritual practices Public-Humiliations make the soul pure at "WARP-SPEED!" (recall the star trek tv show?)
Also, after each embarrassment I would invariably find myself giggling at myself! I found that this laughing at oneself is extremely effective in breaking the hardness developed in one's heart from our angry, sinful past. (For this same reason, a number of years back the older disciples might remember we had a new thing of God sweep through the Church - the Holy Laughter movement? Many doubted that it was of God because it wasn't spoken of in the Bible. I can tell you that it definitely was of God!)
For me to be the Fool, and then laugh hard at myself, I discovered it to be far more therapeutic than watching any funny movie, because I became the lead actor in that funny movie! This laughing at myself broke the hardness that was in my heart and in short order brought me to a state of more innocence. Many who observed my antics would mistakenly think that I was drunk, but I was not drunk from hard drink, but drunk from the Holy Spirit; just like the disciples on the day of Pentecost!
Like the path of the Spiritual-Warrior (chapter 2.2), the Fool-for-God path is yet another fast-track to holiness (Both of these paths are so high they make the conventional Christian lifestyle {by comparison} appear as spiritual stagnation!).
But in order to lay hold of this warp-speed spiritual growth it isn't free either! You must live outside of your comfort zone!
You must obey the voice of God, plus you must suffer over and over again for the faith! (Most of these innumerable sufferings feel like so many bee stings)
Most people enjoy a good laugh. The humorous antics of the Fool-for-Christ brings smiles to peoples' faces, and joy to their heart.
It's a unique form of street evangelism. On this path you become a clown for God, you become a clown in His Royal Court!! Friends, I'm speaking of something even higher than saving souls! (saving souls is the limit of what most Christians can comprehend). You can actually amuse God! Even me! I was never a humorous person! Often, doing the Fool-for-God stuff I've experienced God laughing at me! For a mere mortal to amuse the Creator is a great honor!
There isn't much written on the subject Fool-for-God, as the few who become these types of Fools have become non-intellectual beings in order to fulfill their sacred Calling, so they don't write nor read much. Additionally, the path of the Fool-for-God is a mystery book of God that few souls know anything about. Those who are privy to it, are not allowed to say too much (knowledge of God's mysteries are only reserved for those who make the sacrifice). But, only for the sake of promoting this sacred spiritual revival project, plus motivating zealous believers to take the holy-plunge, does the Lord allow me to go as far as I have thus far gone!
Note > Be aware that from following that directive of Christ I learned far more than I am revealing in this essay!
The Lord, who has created all the variety that we find in nature, is a creative God; He enjoys being creative. A big problem is that since God is a spirit who has chosen to work through earthen vessels, He depends upon believers who are willing to make of themselves 'living sacrifices'. Since most disciples have unknowingly put this creative God in a box, they severely diminish God's creativity fun!
*I swear that this is true>
The Lord absolutely loves when we act creatively with our spirituality!
At times a Fool-for-God may perform deeds that appear to leave a questionable witness to the public. But if we are sure that the Lord is indeed leading us into something, that is where our faith in God comes into play. In the story displayed below, taken from the Little Flowers book, see for yourself the mighty work God wrought through Brother Bernard's obedience to submitting to being repeatedly publicly-humiliated:
"St. Francis and his companions, being called by God to carry the cross of Christ in their hearts, to practice it in their lives, and to preach it by their words, were truly crucified men both in their actions and in their works. They sought after shame and contempt, out of love for Christ, rather than the honors of the world, and the respect and praise of men. They rejoiced to be despised. Thus, they went about the world as pilgrims and strangers, carrying nothing with them but Christ crucified; and because they were of the true Vine, which is Christ, they produced great and good fruits in many souls which they gained for God. It happened that, in the beginning of the Order, St. Francis sent Brother Bernard to Bologna, there to accomplish many good works, according to the grace which God had given him. So Brother Bernard, making the holy sign of the cross, in the name of holy obedience, set out for Bologna. When he arrived in that city, the little children in the streets seeing him dressed so strangely and so poorly, laughed and scoffed at him, taking him for a madman. All these trials Brother Bernard accepted for the love of Christ, with great patience and with great joy, and seeking to be despised yet more, he went to the market-place, where, having seated himself, a great number of children and men gathered around him, and taking hold of his hood pushed him here and there, some throwing stones at him and others dust. To all this Brother Bernard submitted in silence, his countenance bearing an expression of holy joy, and for several days he returned to the same spot to receive the same insults. Now, patience being a work of perfection and a proof of virtue, a learned doctor of the law, seeing such virtue and constancy in Brother Bernard, who had endured for so many days such contempt and such injuries without losing his temper, said within himself: Without doubt this man must be a great saint; and going up to him, he asked him who he was, and whence he came. Brother Bernard put his hand into his bosom, and taking out the Rule of St. Francis, he gave it to him to read. The doctor, having read the Rule, was struck with wonder and admiration at the sublime perfection therein prescribed, and turning to his friends, he said: Truly this is the most perfect state of Religion I have ever heard of, thus this man and his companions must be among the holiest men in all the world; guilty indeed are those who insult him; we ought, on the contrary, to honor him as a true friend of God! And addressing Brother Bernard, he said to him: If it is thy wish to found a convent in this town, in which thou mayest serve God according to thy heart's desires, I will help thee most willingly, for the salvation of my soul. Brother Bernard answered: I believe that our Savior Jesus Christ has inspired thee with this good intention, and most willingly do I accept thy offer, to the honor of Christ. Then the doctor, with much joy and great charity, conducted Brother Bernard to his house, and soon after gave to him a place as he had promised, which he arranged and furnished at his own expense, and from that moment he became a father to Brother Bernard, and the special defender of the Friars Minor."
(My addition: A major reason that Brother Bernard won such a great prize is because during his excursion he suffered for the faith. When we suffer for God, He reciprocates).
The bubbling-over enthusiasm for God is what makes the FFG most appealing! It's this wonderful quality that wins the admiration of all sincere believers, and inspires them to greater fervency in their own walk. The FFG is obviously poverty-stricken but nevertheless he has a bubbling-over enthusiasm for God. This is proof that his enthusiasm is not coming from his circumstances, but from Above! Therefore devout people take his words to heart.
Important: From my own personal experience I can attest that there is one major downside to this holy-poverty walk. On account of his poverty the Fool-for-God isn't capable of meeting most of the material needs of those around him. Having spare cash would afford this disciple the opportunity to practice generosity. Generosity is something so great it can't be overstated!
The way to eliminate this downside is to give the FFG a stipend. This stipend is to be used solely on others, nothing on himself!
(For his own needs he depends totally upon Divine Providence). Following this improved formula, the FFG will have the best of both worlds the ability to be materially generous, without taking away the SPECIALNESS derived from living in voluntary -poverty!
Just like the Spiritual-Warrior (chap 2.2); the FFG's hard walk draws to him a powerful anointing. Indeed, he becomes a mobile, one-man-Church!
*Note: The Almighty enjoys the humorous exchanges of the Fool only if that person is in right standing in other areas of his spiritual life. Otherwise, the Lord becomes insulted. Insulted in the same way as if a rebellious child who hasn't made amends with his Father takes his Father's car without permission.
To read about a Master FFG, a man who has been my main human teacher on this path, obtain that holy book, "The Little Flowers of St. Francis" by Raphael Brown - and read the chapter >The Life of Brother Juniper. Brother Juniper is a man who is worthy to be called the apostle / guru of the FFG path!
Note: When reading about him you will realize that some of the public-humiliations that he performed could get one locked up in a nut house nowadays. As I performed public-humiliations in the crowded streets of Amsterdam, the Lord was kind enough to teach me a plethora of public-humiliation skits.
Additionally, these skits won't break any laws!!!
Servant of God,
Ira Rosenblit,
irarosenblit@live.com
