Ship of Fools

"Though I could not caution all,
I still might warn a few
Don't lend your hand to raise no flag atop no ship of fools"
Garcia/Hunter

fm Psalms:
"don't let me be ahsamed, O LORD
for i have called on You.
Let the wicked be ashamed..."

fm Proverbs:
"where there is no counsel, the people fall;
but in the multitude of counselors
there is safety"

and then in the gospel of Mark we see this exchange:

*self righteous man*:
Good teacher, what must i do to have eternal life?
Jesus:
don't sin.
SRM:
well...that's easy enough. i haven't sinned in a long, long time.
then Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said:
here's your one thing...the one thing you lack...the one thing you hold back from God...go get your money (the money you love) and give it to the poor, then go get your cross and follow me".

the man went away sorrowful...he liked sailing on the ship of fools.

here's what we can learn:
1. what's our "one thing"...abraham's issac...eve's apple (or was it adams?)...ananias' field...cain's pride...whatever. give it to God (or raise your flag on that ship of fools).

2. it is our duty to caution folks about the ship of fools. but let me point out one important part of the passage: "Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said..." people really need a sense of our love and concern for them if they will ever listen to us. they will never hear us if we don't

3. in spite of our love and concern for people, they may still turn away sad to raise thier flag on their ship of fools.