Tag: fool

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Psalms Devotionals 2

Father, do I ever act like a fool?

Woman praying

The fool says in his heart, “There’s no God.” (Psalm 14:1)

Father, I do acknowledge you exist.

But are there times I act as if you don’t?

Times I kind of put you to the side?

Times, instead, when I let my fears reign? My worries reign? Or worse, my sinful desires reign?

Are there times when I get so fixated on my own agenda that I lose sight of yours?

Jesus, I don’t want to act like a fool.

Help me to remember that you are Immanuel, God with me.

Give me a heart that seeks you moment to moment, day to day.

Categories
Proverbs

Living with a fool, living like a fool.

In these two chapters, we see how we should deal with fools, and how to avoid acting like one. 

In this passage, the Hebrew word that is used for “fool” means a person who is stupid and arrogant.  They insist on their own opinions and will not accept correction.

How do we deal with such people?  Solomon tells us in verses 4-5.  I like the NASB here because it’s a bit clearer than the NIV.

Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will also be like him. 

Answer a fool as his folly deserves, that he not be wise in his own eyes.  (Proverbs 26:4-5)

In other words, don’t get involved in shouting matches with a fool, because in most cases, they still won’t listen, and you just lower themselves to their level. 

On the other hand, do answer their arguments, but do so with wisdom, and with gentleness and respect.  By doing so, it may be possible to show them the error of their ways. 

But if they refuse to listen, and things start getting heated, don’t waste your breath any longer.  For as Solomon writes,

Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding him like grain with a pestle, you will not remove his folly from him. (Proverbs 27:22)

Also, while we are to love them, we are not to put our trust in them, whether it’s in listening to their advice (26:7, 9) or in giving them responsibility for a task (26:10).

How do we avoid becoming fools or acting like them?

Learn from your mistakes.  Be open to correction. 

As Solomon writes,

As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.  (Proverbs 26:11)

So many people just never learn from their mistakes.  And as a result, they find themselves in the same kind of trouble time and again.

Be humble.  Understand that you don’t know everything, so be open to correction.  Solomon tells us as much, saying,

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?  There is more hope for a fool than for him.  (Proverbs 26:12)

Also realize that God holds your future.  So be humble and lay your plans before him.  (Proverbs 27:1)

Don’t be lazy.  (26:13-16) 

This is a consistent theme throughout the Proverbs.  Look to your future, by taking care of your responsibilities in the present.  (27:23-27)

Avoid disputes in which you have no reason to stick your nose in. (26:17) 

All you accomplish when you do so, is to get people even more upset and to turn on you.

Watch your words. 

Don’t lie (26:18, 28).  

Don’t gossip (26:20). 

And don’t be a person that’s constantly looking for a fight (26:21; 27:15-16). 

Rather be a person that looks to bring peace to relationships.

Look beyond others’ words to their character.  (26:23-26) 

Some people have tongues that could charm you into doing anything.  But look beyond their words, and test their character.  Know the kind of person you are dealing with.

Be aware that when you make plots against people, your plans often turn back on you.  (26:27) 

Haman found this out when he plotted to kill the Jews in the book of Esther.

Pay attention to warning signs in your life.  (27:12). 

When you get the sense your life is going in the wrong direction, whether in your marriage, in your job, or whatever it may be, stop. 

Start going in a different direction. If you don’t, it could cost you everything.

Be considerate of your neighbors.  (27:14) 

Even if you’re well-intentioned, you can sour your relationships if you don’t consider when and how you try to bless them.

How about you?  Are you living wisely?  Or like a fool?

Categories
Proverbs

Where wisdom begins

Proverbs

As we start through Proverbs, I must admit to a little uncertainty in how to present this book.  There are a broad variety of themes within Proverbs, even within the chapters themselves. 

I briefly considered organizing this book by themes, but ultimately, I decided to go chapter by chapter as I have with the other books. 

That said, in chapters where there are multiple themes, I’ll probably list “nuggets of wisdom” within the chapter, and very brief thoughts on them within the one blog, rather than a full blog on just one or two verses at a time.

Anyway, the first few verses are the introduction to the book of Proverbs, and in them, Solomon writes the reason for writing this compilation, namely,

To know wisdom and instruction, to discern the sayings of understanding, to receive instruction in wise behavior, righteousness, justice and equity…to give prudence…knowledge and discretion…and wise counsel, to understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles.  (Proverbs 1:2-6)

Who was it meant for?  This part is interesting.  It was meant for the naive and the youth first (4).  Namely, to teach them prudence.  In other words, to teach them good judgment as they deal with the “real world.” 

Not only that, but to give them knowledge they don’t have, and discretion in all their affairs whether it’s finances, relationships, or whatever it  may be.

Now this makes sense.  But Solomon also says it’s for those who have already attained a measure of wisdom, that they may hear and increase in their learning.  Not only that, but that they would get the wise counsel that they need.

It’s so easy for us as we get older to think we know it all.  To think we already know all we need to. 

But Solomon says here that it’s important to continue increasing in wisdom and learning.  Because even those who are “wise” can forget and make mistakes that destroy their lives. 

Solomon himself is a great example of this.  He was the wisest man who ever lived, and yet, he wrecked his own life by his own bad decisions.

What is the key to wisdom?  Solomon give the answer in verse 7,

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Solomon also wrote in Proverbs 9:10,

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

People who are wise will fear the Lord.  It is only when we begin to fear him that wisdom truly begins. 

Why? 

Because he’s our creator.  He’s the one who knows how life is meant to work.  When you want to know how something is meant to work, go to its designer.

But when you try to do things your own way, it inevitably leads to trouble.  And God says if you do so, you are a fool.

We often think of fools as stupid people.  And certainly doing things your own way leads to doing stupid things.  But the word fool in the Bible has the idea of a person who is morally deficient and corrupt.

Not only does despising God and his wisdom lead to stupid decisions, it mars us and makes us less than the complete people God created us to be. 

When people look at us, they are meant to see the image of God in us.  But how often do you look at yourself in the mirror and see something less than that because of what you’ve done to your own self?

God wants us to be whole.  He wants us to be complete.  He wants us to reflect his image. 

But for that to happen, we need to embrace him and the wisdom he freely gives to those who ask him.

Don’t be a fool.  Don’t think you know it all. 

As you read the proverbs in this book, open your hearts to them.  Drink them in.  And ask God to speak to you and change you into his image.