For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

—1 Corinthians 1:21-25 (TNIV)

What is this foolishness about which Paul talks? It is the cross. It is God’s plan of salvation through the suffering Messiah. It is suffering as the path to glory. During Lent we commit ourselves to self-examination, penance, and denial. None of it is pretty because we have to look at ourselves for who we really are, warts and all. But here’s the thing. We are to do so, not because we are called to be masochists, but rather to help us get ready to better comprehend God’s “foolishness,” the foolishness of the cross.

Until we are able to comprehend how grievous our sins are, and how much we offend God’s holiness by our willful rebellion against him (and here I am not talking about keeping a bunch of arbitrary rules—”bean counting,” as I like to call it), the cross will simply not make sense to us. If the cross seems foolish to you, spend some time during this Lenten season and consider the utter futility of the human condition. Where is your hope without God? Irrespective of how great your life might be right now, it will end sooner or later. Without the cross, without God’s great love for us, our future is bleak indeed. In fact, we have no future without the cross. But thanks be to God that we have a path to glory and life. Thanks be to God that he is more interested in giving us life, not death.

Think on these things during this season of Lent and ask God to enlighten you on these matters, regardless of where you are in your relationship with him.