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As you consider the story Dr. Crabb related about his elderly parents, discuss the concept of bankrupt foolishness and what the final years of life might look like when guided by the Spirit’s wisdom instead.
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This life is very short, yet I can look back at my foolishness, and see these stages grow. My parents are gone now, but I was able to see the bankrupt foolishness as I witnessed to my mother. She claimed all she did when she was young for the Lord, yet hadn’t had a relationship with Him in decades. As she fell into dementia, and her mind became clouded, she became anger toward God. A life full of hope, centered on what Christ did for us makes this foolishness fade, though it never goes away.
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Bankrupt foolishness refers to having spend our whole life seeking what we thought is good but in the end was not beneficial and does not reap the result it hopes for. If his parents were guided by the Spirit ‘s wisdom, then they will be able to make sense of their current situation and be thankful, joyful and at peace.
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I think Dr Crabb’s idea of bankrupt foolishness is that this person, having spent all his life pursuing what makes him feel good (which he calls the better life), and even having redefined what he wants and how to get it since he entered early adulthood, still feels empty at the end of his life. This is either because the better life he has pursued is no longer pleasurable, or age has caused him to lose the physical and mental faculties to pursue and enjoy those pleasures. He feels bankrupt.
I think, if the person had lived by the Spirit, he would be able to recall the presence and help of the Spirit at all the junctions of his life, and he would continue to trust God that the best is yet to come.
Having said this, I can’t help thinking that, if Dr Crabb had received his Alzheimer-stricken mother to live with his family, instead of having an occasional Easter meal together, there would’ve been a chance that, as a result of the daily relating, God could help his mother partially recall her folks and relive the joy of relating. If only Dr Crabb had this God-sized vision for his mother. I dare say this without shame, because I gave up my career to nurse my father at home. I played ball with him every other day to reverse his dementia, until he died. From being dementia- and Alzheimer-striken and feeling suicidal and having nightmares, he turned more peaceful and joyful and died a good death. It is because I had this God-shaped vision for my father, which was more important than my career. I read from the book of Ephesians that we must honor our parents, I believe with actions, and from James that faith without works is dead.
#SoulCare
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Bankrupt foolishness is an attempt to live out the remaining years of your life without Christ. I recall several sayings about the ‘aged ones’, “age has its privilege”,; “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” etc. This gives the impression that in those latter years, ‘Bankrupt foolishness’ is acceptable. However, as this lesson states, ‘Without the Spirit, when you become an older person, you will enter the stage of bankrupt foolishness’” . A person with Bankrupt foolishness lives life only to intensify their earthly pleasures with no thought of eternity.
When your life is guided by the Spirit’s wisdom, you may be tempted by foolishness, but with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you will ‘live according to the New Covent truth, to gospel realities, to the Spirit, to keeping in step with the Spirit, which results in becoming old without being bankrupt, being hopeful.” You look forward to heaven anchored in hope.
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The concept of bankrupt foolishness is a life without the Spirit and thinking the best we can do is do our best to get more pleasure any way we can until we die as Dr. Crabb has described in his discussion. The final years of light guided by the Spirit’s wisdom instead may look like a life filled with hope and blessed assurance built on a relationship with God that is unbreakable and a having a purpose for our existence. The effective use of God’s wisdom and discernment.