Sanity is Vanity

There is an overused and misattributed cliché that I continually encounter that states:

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

The quote is often attributed to Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin, or Mark Twain. The earliest known occurrence, and probable origin, is in a 1981 text from Narcotics Anonymous: “Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results.”

My opinion is closer to that of Nobel physics laureate Frank Wilczek, who addresses the quote, so questionably attributed to Albert Einstein, by countering it with: “Naïveté is doing the same thing over and over, and always expecting the same result.”

Here is what Jesus taught us in ‘The Parable of the Unjust Judge’:

Luke 18:1 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, 2 saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. 3 There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ 4 For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; 7 now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? 8 I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

Christians are to live by faith, and not by sight.( 2 Corinthians 5:7) We should be willing to be seen as “fools” for Christ’s sake.(1 Corinthians 4:9-16) We are instructed to do the right thing even if we repeatedly get results we don’t like. If we turn the other cheek we may get smacked again. If we continue to speak the truth we may be despised or persecuted for it again. Should we stop asking people to follow the command of God, if the whole world thinks God’s command is unloving?

Romans 3:4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.”