Romans 1:22

Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools

(v22, NIV)

The thing is that those who commit idolatry claim to be wise. It does seem wise to make your own God. Think of people today and see how it could seem wise. It may seem to sound wise to make your own religion and follow a different God from the God of the bible. Some of the religions out there seem wise or seem to make sense to people, which is why some people trade away the one true God for those religions. Some people don't turn to "religions" but instead make other things God. To some, their God is their belly. They are all about food and satisfying their hunger with the next delicious meal. Some look to video games or television shows or movies. There are all sorts of images that people trade away God to get. It seems wise and they claim to be wise, but they are not.

Compare these idolaters with the person who follows the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who follow Jesus Christ are seen as foolish. Maybe you aren't seen as foolish, but maybe you aren't truly following him. People who truly follow Jesus are labeled as "extremists" or people who go too far with Christianity. It's seen as unwise. They don't understand why you would do that. People think of you as crazy, wondering why you would ever go to the extreme in any sense of the word for God. Idolaters claim to be wise, but they are foolish. Maybe a better question would be appalled at the hypocrisy in people's lives. How can someone know God, coming face to face with him and yet trade away his glory for something immensely less?