Pursued, not abandoned

Fools hate to be told they are wrong, so they refuse to ask wise people for advice. Intelligent people want more knowledge, but fools only want more nonsense. (Proverbs 15:12, 14)

Before we begin, let me assure you that I was a fool for a long, long time. I hated to be told I was wrong, refusing correction, not believing I could learn anything from the situations at hand. I continued in my folly until one day God asked me if I liked looking and behaving like a fool. As you might imagine, I even argued with God about my 'rightness' and the other guy's 'wrongness'. What a silly thing it is to argue with God! I recall the day when I finally laid that 'folly' and 'false front' before him, only to find I didn't really like the 'real me'. Perhaps that is why I tried to cover the real me up with all that folly! It was even hard for me to believe God could love me as I was, but he never stopped showing me how much he loved the 'real me'. In fact, it was the 'real me' (and you) he died for!

Fools hate to be told they are wrong. They don't like to be corrected. They struggle with being 'at fault' in circumstances where they haven't done things well and the consequences are beginning to 'hit the fan'. Some fools run the other way, while others just continue to engage in the folly, revealing to everyone that they lack the good judgment to stop, listen, and learn from their folly. The fool pursues the folly with ardent enthusiasm, not easily put off by the attempts at correcting their behavior, much less their way of thinking. I wonder if it is hard for God to really get hold of the fool's heart because the fool doesn't listen and doesn't believe anything is wrong with his behavior? The good news is that God never stops pursuing the fool - it just might take a while for the fool to come around to God's pursuit!

We can all engage in foolish behavior from time to time, but when we give ourselves over to such folly repeatedly, we begin to deceive ourselves into believing it is okay. The fool actually believes their own 'made up' perception of the situation. They have come to a place where they have even deceived their own heart into believing the 'made up' parts of their life. Maybe that is why God doesn't let them go but pursues them just a bit harder. Maybe they need his 'tough love' in order to realize their 'ardent enthusiasm' has really dug them into a very dark and lonely place. The more they dig, the harder God pursues! I am glad God doesn't abandon the fool to his own foolishness. Aren't you? Just askin!

Do you claim to be a fool?

Have you ever 'claimed' something that wasn't true, or wasn't yours to claim? To claim means that we assert or demand the recognition of something; maintain as fact and true; or to take as your own. This word comes from the root - to shout out. In other words, when we "claim" something, we are like men standing at the top of the city wall, or in the city square, crying out at the top of our lungs some "demand" that something be done, that an object is ours for the taking, or that we have accomplished some tremendous feat. As humans, we have a tendency to make some claims which are just plain not true. If this were not the case, would there be whole divisions of law to deal with "false claims"? In fact, there is even a False Claims Act as part of our governmental laws - passed in the days of Abraham Lincoln - standing to this day in order to deal with those who make false claims against the federal government system. It is "big business" to make some of these claims, but it is indeed a very sad business, as well.

If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we’ve never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God. (I John 1:8-10)

The issue we are presented with is that of making "claims" which really do little more than fool ourselves into believing something as fact that really isn't. When we claim this or that about ourselves, without really taking a good look at our actions and attitudes through the eyes of Christ, we often are found to be making "false claims". The first "false claim", and probably one of the most dangerous claims to make, is that of being "sinless". ALL men are born with a sin nature - none of us is without sin (Romans 3:23). What God wants to point out is the position of assuming we are without a sin nature, or not guilty of sinning, is really the position and attitude of a fool. A fool lives in a little bit of a "make believe" world - so if we are "fooling ourselves", we are living in a world we have made up in our minds! The instruction is clear - don't deny we have this sin nature or the guilt of sinning. Instead, embrace the fact we have sinned and have the capability of sinning again - then bring this to God. He will do the work of ridding us of the stain of sin - and the guilty memories of sin's effect in our lives. This is the starting point for any person in Christ Jesus - bringing their sinfulness to him and asking him to not only forgive the sin, but to purge us of our sin. To purge means to be rid of whatever is undesirable or impure. In other words, when we bring our sin to Christ, we are asking him to rid us of everything that makes our thoughts, actions, or attitudes impure.

There are seasons of the year when it seems those pesky weeds begin to peek through the surface of the hard earth and then without warning, they have taken root, flourishing like a bumper crop in what used to be "clean" space in our gardens. Note that I said it used to be "clean" space in our gardens. Having a sin nature is kind of like the repeated return of the weeds in our garden - it appears we may have it cleaned out at one point, but almost without warning, those pesky weeds can come up again and again! What we thought was "cleaned out" isn't always, right? Having a sin nature is kind of like having weeds in our garden - it takes only one seed to afford repeated opportunities for the same weeds to come up again and again! This is why our passage points out the silliness of making a claim to have NO sin, or NO sin nature. We may not have the action evident, but the "seeds" are there! We may not have murdered someone in the most literal sense, but the "idea" of murder dwells in each of us simply because we have a sin nature. This is probably why John raised the bar a little and told us when we hate our brother, we are really displaying the attitude of a murderer. The seed is there, we just don't act it out to the degree of taking the life of the one we hate.

So, if we have the "seeds" of sin in us, isn't it silly to make a false claim that they don't exist? Instead, we are to take the "care" and "tending" of this garden of our heart to the one who can "ferret out" those seeds before they take full root and give way to a bumper crop of sin! When we do this, we are being wise. Admitting we are sinners is not a bad thing - indeed, it is the first step toward liberating ourselves of that which is naturally within us all. God makes it clear - making a false claim is really only painting us as the fool because we are only "deceiving" ourselves. We are deluding ourselves into believing we "do good stuff" so we must be "good" at the core. The garden produces nice flowers some of the year, but when the season changes, the weeds creep in, don't they? What appeared "good" really had all that "ugly potential" just beneath the surface! Rather than deny our sin nature, we need to take it to God, allowing his care and tending to "weed out" the stuff which really doesn't belong in our heart in the first place. When we do this, we are opening ourselves us to be a display of grace - and grace ALWAYS bespeaks fresh possibilities! Just sayin!

Time for a reset

Can you say you exercise 'good sense' the majority of the time? I know I can have moments of nonsense in my life - those times when the decisions or actions just did not make total sense. In fact, they kind of bordered on the ridiculous on occasion! The majority of the time, I exercise good sense by listening to wise counsel, heeding scriptures warnings, and not doing whatever my conscience says I should not do. These three don't always keep me out of trouble, but they go a long, long way toward helping me avoid those 'nonsense activities' that would only bring more trouble into my life.

Good sense brings blessing, but the road of the treacherous is long and rough. A clever person acquires knowledge and then acts on it; but a fool advertises his folly for all to see. (Proverbs 13:15-16)

Think of a clever person as one who is quick in their intellect, mentally bright, and quite able to handle issues as they arise. If that isn't how you'd describe yourself today, then you probably aren't alone in the mix because others will say they are a little 'dull' in their intellect, not always mentally bright, and are often unable to deal with things that come their way. Does that make any of us less likely to receive God's blessings in our lives, though? No, it just make us human!

There is a difference between being clever, or a person of good sense, from being treacherous and foolish. The treacherous is ready to betray trust at almost every drop of the hat. They aren't very faithful in their commitment to anything other than what may benefit them at the moment. The foolish things that emerge in the activities of one given to living a treacherous life are really what sets them apart. Their actions are marked with deception - so much so that there is really nothing reliable in them. 

This is why their road is long and hard. Their choices aren't reliable - their commitments are absently promised - their words are meaningless. The actions God desires are those that stem from acquiring knowledge that actually helps to bring foundation into our lives. If we haven't allowed that foundation to be built, we will be all over the board. If we want to enjoy the blessings of God in our lives, it begins by submitting to the process of learning. Scripture isn't just given to look at from time to time - it is meant to be 'grafted into' our lives much like a sprig from a tree may be grafted into the life-giving trunk of another.

I opened with the thought of three things that can help us to exercise good sense - wise counsel, scripture, and our own God-given conscience. If you won't listen to good counsel, and you don't always think about scripture when you are about to act, you can at least fall back on your conscience! When all three align, you are much better off. When two align, you are closer than you'd be with only relying upon one. We really need all three together. So, if you aren't in a place where you are regularly taking in the Word of God - get there. If you don't feel like you have those who give wise counsel in your lives - ask God to bring them into your life. If you have been a little too 'lax' in listening to the nigglings of your own conscience - perhaps it is time for a complete 'reset'! Just sayin!

A little wisdom in dark times

Just read a post from one of my friends about a couple who drove 1700 miles to pick up all the hand sanitizer available in every store he came across and now cannot sell it as he thought he could online! I am sorry, but I have to say that this idea of theirs was awfully stupid! I know they think people will become desperate and want this stuff, but honestly this is just one of the selfish and foolish things I have heard repeated lately with all this hype about Coronovirus. There have been lots of times when I hear people almost bragging about their escapades, but to brag about hoarding to deny others a chance to remain well hydrated, fed, or sanitized is just not something to brag about. Most of these 'hoarders' appear to have a sense of pride with acknowledging their folly! I am not one to "parade" my folly in public, but I went into a store for the first time in a long time and was amazed at how many people were acting like doomsday was coming. What warmed my heart the most was the post of a mother and child, curbside on a busy intersection, handing out one roll of toilet paper or paper towel to anyone who stopped and was in need. Now, that is something to brag about, but she won't!

Fools make fun of guilt, but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation. (Proverbs 14:9 NLT)

What it is we do with our "guilt" when our escapades have been less than honorable reveals a lot about us. The fool makes fun of the guilt they feel. Try as we might, we cannot rid ourselves of the sense of guilt with simply laughing it away or making light of it. If we dismiss our guilt long enough, we become almost "immune" to the sense of guilt we feel about a certain behavior. We begin to justify it and form an "opinion" of it being okay - if not for others, at least for ourselves. In some circles, this is similar to something referred to as "situation ethics". Today's "situation ethics" is actually promoting this hoarding mentality! In the simplest sense, situation ethics holds the belief that the end justifies the means. In fact, with this type of interpretation of life, we find it easy to set aside rules and regulations whenever we feel the "greater good" will be served by our actions. 

Jesus always began with "love God" and then he taught to love "your neighbor" as yourself. You cannot ever "love God" if you throw out the absolutes he proclaims - things like don't cheat, don't covet, don't have any other god before me, and give and it will be given to you. These are absolutes in God's kingdom. So, Jesus was teaching we need to embrace the absolutes of God's kingdom and this will result in us being able to love our neighbor. Fools make fun of guilt - but the godly acknowledge it. It is one thing to acknowledge something - it is another to do something with the knowledge we have! The godly doesn't stop with an admission of guilt - they go on to the place of obeying one of God's absolutes - confession! Scripture teaches us to bring our sins to Christ and there we will find forgiveness. It is not an exercise of excusing our sin - it is an erasure of the stain of the sin and the ability to walk away from the pull to do the sin again.

So, what we do with our guilt determines the end of our guilt. We can flaunt it openly, proclaiming the end justified the means. Or...if we are wise....we can confess it, seeking forgiveness and restoration at the foot of the cross. The first method of dealing with our guilt will only "numb" us to the experience of guilt - it never removes it. The latter not only removes it, it gives us the ability to walk away from the very action which produced the guilt in the first place. The fool chooses to continue the pursuit of the action which produces the guilt - the wise choose to turn away from it, seeing no justification in their sin. It is truly a dangerous thing to "pick up" a false set of beliefs - those which veer from the truth clearly outlined in scripture. We can "interpret" scripture and reflect upon it with all kinds of "opinion". The danger is us forming a set of beliefs which "fit our actions" instead of us allowing God to "fit our actions" to his Word! Lest I meddle further...I will leave you with these thoughts to ponder. Just sayin!

Just sayin!

A fool engages in words that are both thoughtless (not a lot of thought taken before speaking them) and careless (headstrong and determined to make one's own point or get one's own way). Put them together and you have a recipe for many an unhappy relationship, family gathering, or workplace environment! The fool is often described as reckless, unthinking, indiscreet, lacking caution, etc. Not too flattering of a list of character traits, huh? The wise, on the other hand, are described as discreet, caring, respectful, concerned, etc. The difference isn't rocket science here - it is found in the ability to "govern" one's words.

Fools have short fuses and explode all too quickly; the prudent quietly shrug off insults. Truthful witness by a good person clears the air, but liars lay down a smoke screen of deceit. Rash language cuts and maims, but there is healing in the words of the wise. (Proverbs 12:16-18)

Ever know someone who has a "short fuse" - reacting at the drop of a pin and then leaving everyone in their path standing there in the wake of their outburst without even noticing how much damage or confusion their words have caused. The simple truth is that they are "fools" - lacking judgment and wisdom that would keep them from damaging both themselves and those in their path. Yep, they are quite "enthusiastic", but they lack the sense to know when they should indulge in a certain behavior or withhold themselves. They are characterized by "speaking before thinking" - a sure sign to those of us who have had more than one occasion where we have put our foot in our mouth!

The prudent, on the other hand, may "reserve" what they think for a later time, or never speak what they think at all (novel concept). It is not because they don't believe their thoughts are valuable enough to put into words - they have just learned that all that they think at the moment may not lend to the good of the situation, so they remain silent. A prudent person is both wise in the present moment and forward-looking in their planning - even when it comes to their words. There is a bigger picture in mind. The fool reacts to the moment - the prudent plans for the future. We often refer to this prudent one as discreet or controlled in their response. Trust me - discretion and control are both learned traits!

There are moments when the truth will be the best path to explore - allowing the air to be cleared between individuals and circumstances to be set into play that will 'mend' breaks in relationships. At other times, truth may be known, but it may not be the moment to speak it - simply because it will inflame the fool in one or both of us, leading to more issues arising that will have to be dealt with at a later time. Knowing when to speak truth is wisdom. Rash language is simply anything spoken without taking the time to think it through. If there is one thing I have realized in my study of scripture, it is that if the same instruction, warning, or spiritual insight is taught more than once, God expects us to pay attention - we need to 'get' the topic into our hearts and minds so it affects our actions. This short passage speaks to us in about three different ways - all focusing on how and when we use our words! Therefore, we better sit up and take notice!

Rash words are those that are spoken without considering the consequences of those words. It is not just the words that are spoken, it is also the timing of the words, the ones that are hearing the words, and the framework in which our words are created. Yes, the words we speak matter, but we are not always cognizant of the audience hearing those words. We would do well to consider if the one hearing what we are saying is really the right audience for those words. We can "frame" any message (even a difficult one) in a way that can be both constructive and edifying. This entire chapter of Proverbs is chocked full of the differences between the fool and the wise. Many other passages speak to the importance of our words - the impact they have on others. We would do well to consider the impact OUR words have today - they are reflections of either our wisdom, or our fool-hearty ways! Just sayin!

Learn on!

There are times when I just don't want to listen. I am intent on something else, the plot thickens in a TV drama I am intent on watching, or I am just too tired to care. Listening is hard at times because life gets us involved in other things. Listening is really a two-way street. When we aren't listening, we are blocking one side of the street! We must have open ears to hear the message - but we must also ask clarifying questions so as to get the full meaning of what is being shared. That is how God intends for us to be with our spiritual "ears" - listening with the intention of getting the full meaning of what he is sharing.

Simpletons only learn the hard way, but the wise learn by listening. (Proverbs 21:11)

There is a clear difference between being a "simpleton" and being a wise learner. We rarely use the word "simpleton" anymore in our English language. In fact, I cannot remember hearing it used in very many situations in my entire lifetime. A simpleton is a fool, a knucklehead, a ninny of sorts - he does not seek to understand, therefore we call him ignorant. I grew up with the idea that a fool was some kind of ninny that just did not get what was going on, was too self-absorbed to see others, or just plain 'didn't get it' in life. I think we need to focus on the fact that the fool is one who is "ignorant" - he or she just doesn't get it.

Look at the root of the word which is ignore. The fool is one who ignores what is right in front of his face - it is there for the taking, but he doesn't even notice it, or if he does, he just plain steps around it. He spends very little effort attempting to grasp what he has evident in his immediate path, much less a future one. The fool is ignorant because he will not learn from what is available to him - he has the tools, but he lacks the initiative to use them. I think of initiative as the 'internal reason' for which we use what is given to us. We are moved to use something because we see the usefulness, even though we may not fully grasp its purpose.

The fool is oblivious to life oftentimes ignoring the very plain or obvious. Even when there is clear evidence, he chooses to ignore it as not pertinent to him, the situation, or the future. Being oblivious is really because of two traits common to the fool - being inattentive and being easily distracted. The ability to distract a fool is really quite easy because he lacks the intent "focus" that is required to stay on task - not because he does not have the ability to focus - just because it is the path of least resistance for him.

The warning to each of us is that the simpleton (fool) only learns things the hard way! Ouch! That stings! Ever feel like you could have learned a lesson just a little quicker, or a little easier? The obvious conclusion is that you were submitting to the path of least resistance (the fool's path) and had to learn that lesson the hard way. So, the tendency to be "foolish" in our response to life events is apparent in all of us - even though we may not call ourselves a simpleton. We make the choice - live as a fool, taking the path of least resistance, or live as a wise man, submitting to the path of learning.

Keep one thing in mind: The "hard way" is evident at the end of the path of least resistance. The path of learning may seem "hard" at first, but in the end, it is really the path of "least resistance". Submission to the process of learning is paramount to avoiding the life-course of a simpleton - a journey none of us really wants to take. Therefore, we need to learn on! Just sayin!

Considering a change?

Have you met anyone who is so bent on doing things their own way that no matter how much you attempt to advise them differently, they simply argue their point harder and harder, trying to convince you their way is right?  It usually doesn't go well for them because their "myopic" view of life is so limited they cannot see the collision course with disaster they are on.  The scripture is plain - fools don't want to learn from others.  I think one of the hardest things you can do is try to argue with someone "bent" toward foolish decisions.  They just don't want to consider other options - as though admitting their may be more sensible things to do or choices to make, they are admitting they don't know everything!  Shortsighted individuals don't know the big picture and they often refuse to see it.  It isn't that it doesn't exist, they just cannot get it into focus in their lives.  I am near-sighted.  I have the ability to see things near me pretty clearly, but the farther away they get, the blurrier they become.  I need my glasses on to help me "clarify" the picture.  I would be foolish to drive without my glasses.  I wouldn't even consider it.  The fool will deny the need for glasses, and may in fact believe the world is usually "blurry"!

Some people like to do things their own way, and they get upset when people give them advice. Fools don’t want to learn from others. They only want to tell their own ideas. Wise people want to learn more, so they listen closely to gain knowledge. (Proverbs 18:1-2, 15 ERV)

There is probably another reason people like to do things on their own - they don't want to deal with the time it takes to consider another person's viewpoint or way of doing things.  To the fool, the time it takes to actually step into another person's shoes is kind of wasteful.  They just don't see it as valuable. They might expect everyone else to see things their way, but the idea they could actually benefit from seeing things the way another does just doesn't seem worth the effort.  Fools avoid the "gaining knowledge" phase of life because it requires so much work!  Foolish people don't like to "work" at life. Their viewpoint is easiest for them.  Consider this - to "see from a different viewpoint" one must actually get up from where they are at and then change their position.  The fool has a hard time with giving up their position.  They are kind of "fixed" in place when it comes to their opinion and it is hard to get them to move.

Wise people remain open to the ideas of another because they know their is an advantage to seeing things from another's vantage point.  I am only 5 foot 4 inches tall.  My son is 6 foot 4 inches tall.  His additional 12 inches in height gives him a vantage point I don't have - unless I use a step ladder!  He can reach things on the top shelf of the cabinets, hang things from the hook on the patio without standing on his tiptoes and can see over the fence without having to stand on a crate.  He also has a harder time fitting in a car, getting into small spaces, and not being obtrusive in the movie theater!  It is all in perspective! He may have a different vantage point which works to his benefit some of the time, but at others, that same vantage point makes it harder for him in life.  The same is true when we dig our heels in and refuse to consider the vantage point of another's experiences, learning, and advice!

It isn't that a fool absently believes there is not other way outside of his own, he just has grown quite comfortable with his own way of doing things.  I daresay we can all fall into that category at times.  We get into the "rut" of going about things the same way over and over again.  Then we wonder why we achieve the same results (good or bad) when we do!  I once had a friend who said, "If you always do what you always do, you will always get what you have always gotten."  It may not be grammatically correct, but you get the idea, don't you? Doing things the same way time and time again and refusing to consider any other possibility of doing things - this is the definition of futility and stubbornness.  A recipe for disaster with those two ingredients!

We cannot argue with a fool.  We cannot often advise them, but this doesn't mean we stand absently by and never say a thing.  We can "put it out there", but if they choose not to listen to our advice, we shouldn't be surprised.  Their folly keeps them bound to their way - even when our vantage point might just seem a little appealing to them.  It requires change and fools rarely like change! Just sayin!

God, I give you the fool...

A long time ago, I thought the only way to deal with foolish individuals was to talk them out of their foolishness.  Let me be the first to confess - the only thing this did was make a fool of me!  Why?  Fools cannot be talked out of their foolishness - they need an up-front and personal encounter with Jesus - not with my reasoning, rationalization, or even arguments which point out all the ways contrary to the ways they have chosen to act. This is why you won't find me debating with those who show up on my doorstep to "win me over" to their faith. I will simply state that I am a follower of Christ, very pleased with this deeply personal relationship I share with him, and have my hope of salvation pretty well "nailed down".  If this peaks their interest, I certainly will go on to share why it is I have this hope, but I don't spend hours debating with them why their "religion" is flawed.  I need to simply state the truth for the hope which I have within me and then leave God to do the rest.  There are also times I will not engage someone who is being totally unrealistic, confrontational, or even "mightier than thou" in their approach to life.  They aren't going to listen at that very moment, so I just do what scripture says - I turn aside and keep on going.  Before anyone accuses me of not caring, or of being a coward, let me just assure you the most caring and even the bravest thing I can do is to leave them in the hands of God!  He is ultimately in charge and I can simply state truth - allowing him to do the rest of the work which needs to be done.

My child, if you listen and obey my teachings, you will live a long time. I have shown you the way that makes sense; I have guided you along the right path. Your road won’t be blocked, and you won’t stumble when you run. Hold firmly to my teaching and never let go. It will mean life for you. Don’t follow the bad example of cruel and evil people. Turn aside and keep going. Stay away from them. They can’t sleep or rest until they do wrong or harm some innocent victim.  (Proverbs 4:11-16 CEV)

I guess I didn't fully appreciate this truth in my younger days because I would "engage" them in their arguments and then when we just got deeper and deeper into their unrealistic beliefs, I'd be dumbfounded about how to respond. I could see it as wrong - but they just couldn't - and that was pretty frustrating to me.  There are some things God expects of his kids - then there are things he expects us to leave in his hands!  Don't get those two mixed up!  First, we are to be attentive to his teachings and then act according to what we know to be right.  So, in the end, our lives become a display of the grace and truth of God's love - something our words might just not be able to accomplish in the same manner.  Next, we are to stay within the paths which make sense for our lives. I have actually done some testing to see how it is I personally deal with confrontation.  I am a confrontation "avoider" - I don't like to just jump in there and take up the fight.  Is this wrong?  No, it isn't.  When you understand that "confrontation style", you will soon recognize my "holding back" or "becoming quite" in the presence of confrontation is really me just stepping back to gain perspective.  I am not fully disengaging, I am simply restructuring my thoughts so I don't respond without wisdom.

I think this is what God has in mind when he says we have been show the way that makes sense - the right way to respond even in the midst of confrontation. There are times when engaging too soon, or with little to no forethought is just plain unwise.  It will only end up damaging one or both of the parties engaged in the confrontation.  Road blocks seem to be something we all understand. We might just think someone is a "road block" in our life - like everything they say and do is really just holding us back or keeping us from getting any further along. I have had discussions like that with individuals on occasion - no matter which "tact" I took, the outcome was about the same.  Now, I have to ask - was all my effort futile?  To answer that I need only look at the outcome of the encounter.  I must admit, in most cases, it was!  Why?  Foolishness cannot be "talked out" of an individual's mind or heart.  It must be "washed out" by the blood of the Lamb!  There is much to be said about "turning away from the foolish" because engaging in their folly will only take us down roads we don't want to travel.  I like how scripture tells us to turn aside and just keep on going. I like that we are given "permission" to not turn our backs on them, but to turn aside.  This implies we don't engage with their folly.  

God starts by reminding us of our priorities - him first, his teachings next, and then taking steps in the right direction to the best of the ability he gives us. If we encounter some fools along the way, we don't engage with them in their folly and we don't get stymied by their folly (road blocks).  Maybe this is why we don't argue with the fool - because all these arguments do is add "weight" like a burden a burro might carry upon its back.  We take on the fools misgivings, their protests, and even their arguments as though they were something we were to bear ourselves.  God's intent is not for us to bear their burdens of unbelief, argumentativeness, or even frustration - he will do that.  We just need to lead lives which present positive examples of his love and grace - let him deal with the fools.  Just sayin!

Which group is your group?

Wisdom, common sense, and understanding all come from the Lord.  Somehow we have this wrong in our thoughts because we think it is all about how much or how quickly we can learn stuff.  We think if we "apply ourselves" to the books, we will learn the "stuff" we need to make it in this life.  Although I am huge proponent of continuing education (because I don't think we ever stop learning), I know there is much more to learning than just what we glean from the books.   A perfect example of this is all I have learned since I finished nursing school.  Yes, I spent a great deal of times in the books and there were some pretty intense study halls.  I even remember having to write up every disease process a patient had and plan their care.  But...the real learning took place once I was actually putting that stuff into practice.  When I heard the first extra little "swish" of the heartbeat, I discovered what a heart murmur sounded like.  When I smelt the first grossly infected wound, I understood what Pseudomonas bacteria could do.  There was much more for me to "learn" and "understand" - not just what was in the books.  The same is true in all of life.  We can gain much by study, but until we apply what we study into real life experiences, it is merely knowledge.  Part of growing up is learning to make a way for ourselves.  Maybe this is where we get it a little wrong in our relationship with Jesus.  We think we have all the "learning" we need to walk right and then we set out on our own.  All the while we are figuring we can make it because we have the knowledge of "how" to walk, but we forget walking involves things like balance, occasionally having a handhold on something or someone, and being able to judge the safety of the trail we traverse.  We get a little too independent and we soon lose our balance, have no handhold, and eventually find ourselves traversing pathways where resistance and trouble seems to surround us. 

All wisdom comes from the Lord, and so do common sense and understanding. God gives helpful advice to everyone who obeys him and protects all of those who live as they should. God sees that justice is done, and he watches over everyone who is faithful to him. With wisdom you will learn what is right and honest and fair. (Proverbs 2:6-9 CEV)

My pastor pointed out the audience of the Proverbs - the simpleton, the fool, and the wise. Three groups of individuals each with a specific set of character traits which were outlined in the recorded truth of the Proverbs.  The simpleton is just someone who does things without any really thought as to what they are doing (probably never been exposed to the learning before) - they just do it and don't even really know much better or even care that there are outcomes which might not be all that great.  The fool is the one who probably knows better (has had the book learning) and just does it anyway. It is kind of a choice to act contrary to what one knows.  The wise are those who have both the learning and the desire to put into practice what they have learned.  It is kind of like when I went to nursing school - I had to put into practice what I gleaned from the books to really make it "cement" my learning. Until I did, it was only philosophy!  Maybe this is something we can learn from the simpleton and the fool - one has no exposure to the knowledge, the other possesses it, but simply chooses not to use it.  Both are going to experience some rough spots in life they probably would have rather avoided, but they won't necessarily learn from them.  

Considering this passage in light of these three groups of individuals, I see something of interest.  The simpleton might possess a little bit of common sense, because we are all created with it.  His common sense tells him not to jump out of a four story window because he will get hurt as he really cannot fly.  Will his common sense keep him from reaching for a hundred dollar bill stuck on the side of the wall just a little out of reach from that window? It is not likely that he will avoid it.  Why?  He sees only the immediate fulfillment of his desire - the hundred dollar bill!  He wants it and he will reach way beyond the window because of the desire burning within him.  He reaches and topples from the window to his doom all because he did not really consider the risks of his actions - he was merely captured by the object of his desire.  Common sense did him no good in that instance.  Even book learning which showed him the effects of gravity on a falling object did not keep him safe.  He needed something known as wisdom to actually "run interference" on his behavior.  He needed to recognize the danger in the decisions he was making - realizing no one hundred dollar bill was worth the risk of leaning way beyond his level of safety from that window to reach for what was well beyond his reach.

The fool has much to learn from this lesson, as well, for the fool is likely in the room with the simpleton egging him on to get the bill!  He probably knows it is a fool-hearty thing to do, but if someone is willing to give it a try, he will get behind him and encourage the folly.  Why? The fool doesn't home to gain from the simpleton's actions, but he is enjoying the thrill of the activity.  The fool won't necessarily put himself in the same place of risk, but he will encourage the simpleton to focus on the wrong values.  He will talk about the money as though it were the ultimate prize, totally missing that a man's life is worth more than anything we can amass materially.  The fool has common sense, but he chooses to ignore it when another might just do the work for him!  He possesses a degree of book learning - knowledge - so he even might have a little bit of understanding.  Yet, he doesn't let those things hold back his desire to see others hurt in the process of trying to get ahead himself. See, he will have talked the simpleton into reaching for the bill because he knows the simpleton won't live long enough to enjoy it!  So, in the end, he benefits from the simpleton's actions because he is now left to enjoy the bill!

The wise, on the other hand, have learned to combine common sense and knowledge (understanding) with God's sage counsel.  They listen to the niggling of the Spirit's voice within giving them just a little "check" in their spirit.  They are not caught up in the lack of focus of the simpleton, or the selfish interest of the fool.  Instead, they are concerned for the safety of the one about to plunge to his death.  They will likely look out the window at the bill perched on the side of the wall so high up and then hook a water hose up to the faucet, spray the bill with water, see it waft to the ground and encourage the one blessed to receive it!  Why?  Their focus is not on the bill, but on the lives which will be blessed by applying wisdom in the circumstance!  Life isn't always clear-cut, but the wise will learn to listen to the voice of God and focus not so much on what others around them seem to think is important, but on the lives which are being "lived out" all around them.  They will take what God gives in the way of common sense and understanding, using it to better the lives of those they touch.  The wise learn to walk with eyes on the one who guides their steps, not so concerned with the path as much as where it is leading them.  The wise will accept counsel and avoid mistakes because they realize others have walked ahead of them on those paths. 

We fall into one of these three groups.  I have played all three "parts" in this life, but I know for sure that the one which has me most enthusiastically focused is the latter!  Just sayin!

Let's not be fools

We all have moments when we just have to ask, "What were you thinking?"  The likely truth is that we WEREN'T thinking! The moment we crossed that invisible line from doing stuff the "wise" way into the place where we began to respond as either a foolish person or a simpleton, we just weren't thinking!  We might have been distracted, caught up in the frenzy of the moment, or even just too oblivious to have spent enough time in thought before we chose to act.  It happens to all of us.  We play the parts of the "fool" or the "simpleton" pretty well at times!  The moment we cross the invisible line, we know we are bound for disastrous consequences.  Consequences is just a big word for an end result we may not have wanted.  If we drive too recklessly, the consequences may actually be a fender bender and the car being tied up for a week or so while there are repairs to it.  The actions we engage in, regardless of how "purposeful" we were in those actions really do matter.

Sin and self-satisfaction bring destruction and death to stupid fools. But if you listen to me, you will be safe and secure without fear of disaster. (Proverbs 1:33-34 CEV)

Sin and self-satisfaction bring destruction and death to the "stupid fools" in this life.  Now, lest you think I am calling you a stupid fool, let me assure you I have fulfilled the role pretty frequently in my own life!  The two things I'd like us all to see from this passage are pretty simple - so even us "simpletons" must be able to lay hold of them!

1. Sin carries a tendency for us to be more focused on ourselves than on another or God. We find ourselves directing our attention to some place, or something other than God.  In essence, we get distracted by our own desires and this leads us into a place of destruction.  If we take my example above about driving too fast, we might just find Solomon reminding us of the need to consider not only ourselves in our quest to get somewhere, but others who will be impacted by our reckless driving.  I find myself asking someone who just has to cut in and out of traffic, only to get to the stop light just one car ahead of me if his/her recklessness was really worth the effort.  I just don't get how it is so important to be ahead of me at the stop light!  Somehow, the individual has a degree of self-satisfaction with that maneuver.  So, I let them make their move and then just chuckle when they have to wait the minute at the stop light with the rest of us "slower movers" on the road!  The thing I want us to see in the first part of our study today is this desire to satisfy self.  Anytime we are more focused on self-satisfaction than the needs or concerns of another (including God), we are operating in the realm of the "self-destructive" behavior of the fool.  Self-satisfying actions don't only hurt the one engaging in them - they hurt others who are sometimes only innocent bystanders in the mix of things.  

2. Self-destructive behaviors are best stopped by the process of listening.  This means we engage ourselves in the process of getting ourselves still enough to hear what is being said to us.  I can recount the times I was the one weaving in and out of the rows of traffic, only to find myself at the light just slightly ahead of all those other slow movers on the road!  Yep, I can laugh at the one who engages in that practice now because I used to be one of those drivers!  So, if you and I will stop long enough to consider our actions, we might just find out God is telling us they are really "driving us" toward some pretty self-destructive ends.  This may not be the message we hope to hear, but truth be told, it is the message we need to hear.  God isn't going to jerk us out of our foolishness - but he will gently call to us to turn away from it.  As long as we are content to follow the path of the fool, he will continue to speak to us about how foolish of an end we will come to in this pursuit, but he won't necessarily stop us in our tracks, shake us until we see the foolishness of our ways, and then lecture us on how to be more obedient. God usually just keeps inviting us to stop, then when we finally do, he asks us if we are ready to take a new course of action.  One of my grandsons is a little head-strong.  My daughter is pulling her hair out over some of the decisions he makes and the lack of self-control he exhibits on occasion.  I guess my words of wisdom to her as we discussed this behavior was simply to not "control" him - but let him come to the place of seeing how his lack of self-control has consequences.  Now, lest you think I am going to let him fall into some majorly sinful activity, I am not advising that.  I am saying he needs to make the choice to be obedient - a choice we do well to learn earlier than later.

Listening is part of obedience.  One of the things I challenged my daughter with is this idea of saying something only once, but making sure my grandson is aware of what she said.  For example, I told her to get at his level, tell him what she wants him to do, then ask him what it is she has just asked of him.  When he is able to clearly tell her what the expectations are, there is no excuse for his willful disobedience.  He knew what was required and chose to act differently.  Hence, there are consequences forthcoming for the willful defiance.  As with my grandson, God speaks to us clearly - he doesn't whisper his required actions on our part - he makes them pretty plain.  Our choice of listening to these and then acting on them is really a determination of what the outcome will be in the end.  Just sayin!

Ummm....that was foolish!

There are probably not too many of us who would admit to playing the part of "fool" once in a while.  In fact, we'd do our best to refute anyone who called us a fool, defending our honor to the end.  A fool is merely anyone who lacks judgment or good sense.  Now, if we were to be truthfully (yes, painfully honest) most of us could definitely cop to this plea!  We are not consistently wise in our judgment, nor do we always use good sense!  A fool in scripture is someone who does this habitually - but in everyday life, we all play the fool on occasion.  The issue with the fool - they just don't embrace wisdom, so they keep using "faulty" judgment over and over again.  I think there are probably areas in our lives where we do the same thing - try as we might, knowing what we know to be true, we ignore good judgment and just plunge headlong into whatever it is we are involved in.  In those moments, we are neither using our good sense (common sense), nor are we listening to the still small voice of God reminding us of the error in our judgment.  This is indeed "foolish".

Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool. Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest. A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools! Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him.  Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.   Sending a message by the hands of a fool is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.  Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.  Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.  Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.  As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.  (Proverbs 26:1-11 MSG)

Our passage is long, but I think we might benefit from looking at some of the characteristics of the fool - the way he/she interacts with life.  When we begin to see these "interaction moments" in the way God sees them, we might just become a little more sensitive to when those "moments" creep up in our lives and work to be a little less inclined to respond as the fool!

- The fool looks for honor.  Whenever we find ourselves actually seeking some form of honor from others for a task we have completed, or perhaps something we have finally stopped doing, we are looking in the wrong place.  Honor is really best understood as feeling God's satisfaction with our decisions - like a settled sense of peace in our lives.  All the praise and accolades of man will never replace this deep sense of peace God provides.  All other honor is just for show!

- The fool takes to heart words which are spoken.  As a child of God, let me tell you that not every word spoken into your life, nor against your life needs to be embraced.  A fool will embrace them all - taking many as "curses" or what may consider to be "slights" which are against him/her.  Let me just say this - most people don't have good control over their words - me included! When we speak, it is often without "deep thought" or "careful consideration". To embrace everything someone says is silly - there are things they say in the moment which they really never intended to come across the way it did - we need to let those go!

- The fool has a problem accepting leadership over his life.  Now, this one is a tough one for most people.  We ALL want to be in control of our lives, but the one who plays the part of the fool will resist even God's control.  Bridles and big sticks are not the most pleasant way to direct one toward obedience, but the fool needs this kind of "intervention" in his life because there is a lack of submission to God's authority.  Perhaps there is "lip service" to God's authority, but as the child once said, "I may be sitting down on the outside, but I am standing up on the inside"!

- The fool looks to be affirmed in his actions.  When we answer a fool with equally "foolish" responses, we are slipping right into the same "folly" of a fool.  In other words, rash responses are really the "trend" or "norm" for the fool.  God's way of "doing business" with the fool is to break the "norm" - to be a little slower to answer than we might desire, but pretty doggone hitting the nail on the head each and every time.  The fool has a hard time with this because he is impulsive - lacking in discretion and prudence.  Trust me on this one - we need discretion in our lives - especially where it applies to our words and thoughts which lead to actions!  Not all our word, nor our actions, are deserving of affirmation.  In fact, some of them really would be best responded to with a firm bit of chastisement!

-  The fool may have access to wisdom, but he seldom knows the truth behind what he possesses.  This is probably why it is so important we get into scripture ourselves and figure out what God's Word actually has to say.  The fool will accept at face value anything which resembles truth, but this is dangerous in face of his/her lack of discretion and prudence.  Nothing can be believed if there is not at least an element of truth in it - so to rise above being deceived, we have to develop an awareness of truth.  In other words, we have a relationship with truth!  The deeper our relationship is with Jesus, the more we are likely to desire truth in our lives.

-  The fool is given to repeating mistakes.  This is closely related to the fools inability or unwillingness to be under authority, to learn truth, and to allow his thoughts to be "filtered" by the Word.  The fool just follows after his folly - his indiscretions are many, often the same ones repeated time and again. What becomes the "norm" for the fool is really a series of bad judgments leading to bad actions, followed closely by bad "justifications" about why he/she pursued that course of action in the first place.  If we find ourselves in the cycle of repeating past failures time and time again, we might just want to take a step back and ask God to show us if this is related to any of the above characteristics of the fool!  Just sayin!

I don't get it....

A skeptic is anyone who maintains a doubting attitude, especially as it applies to truth.  The only reason we don't fully accept truth is because we have believed a lie.  Deceived people are often the most skeptical!  The skeptic treads on pretty thin ice because he claims their is no God - mostly because he cannot understand or comprehend God with his mind.  God is not comprehended in our mind anymore than he is apprehended with our mind.  It is our spirit which comprehends the Spirit of God.  For our spirit is the "communion" point for each of us to enter into deep, inter-dependent relationship with God.  If we depend on our minds, rational thought, or reasoning ability to get us to the point of trusting what God says is true and worth believing, we will fall very, very short of the depth of relationship God wants for us.  In fact, we may spend a little more time playing the part of the skeptic than we may want!

The skeptic swore, “There is no God!  No God!—I can do anything I want!  I’m more animal than human; so-called human intelligence escapes me.  The believer replied, “Every promise of God proves true; he protects everyone who runs to him for help.  So don’t second-guess him; he might take you to task and show up your lies.”  (Proverbs 30:1-2, 5-6 MSG)

The believer has a different perspective on how he relates to God - it is out of faith.  Faith is described as the evidence of things not seen - but I could go one further and say it is the acceptance of what is not easily comprehended by our finite minds - those things which are also not easily understood.  There are things about God which I will just not be able to say I fully understand. An example of this is the Trinity - being able to comprehend how God is one, but there are three - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - all as one - this escapes my ability to reason and comprehend in the natural mind.  I don't need to have this all figured out though because I can see evidence of God all around me in what he has created, feel the presence of God within me because his Spirit is communing with mine, and experience the evidence of his Son's actions on my behalf as I stand before God forgiven and clean.

I don't "get" how God could pursue me when I am so unlovable in my state of sin, totally bent on pleasing whatever need I find the most appealing to me at the moment - but I know he does!  I have experienced his pursuit after my heart time and time again - never willing to let me go my own way, but constantly tugging at my heart to turn again to him and fall deeply in love with him all over again.  This is a mystery to me - as it may be to you - because we are so "performance" driven individuals.  In other words, we give love to another based on the performance we see or experience within relationship with them.  It is a reciprocal thing - you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.  If someone disappoints enough times, we often pull away and no longer pursue that relationship.  This has not proven to be how God works though - so although this is a foreign concept to me in my natural mind, I can accept it based on what I have come to see and know about God in both my own experience and that which I have observed in others.

This is what some refer to as the development of faith.  We experience certain truths which may have been foreign to us before and we step into new avenues of discovery within the truths God wants for us to understand and fully comprehend.  The skeptic cannot come to this place of understanding because it is not something we "come into" by any natural means - you cannot study yourself into faith.  God helps us experience faith through our circumstances and then we actually begin to take steps toward deeper faith as a result of what we are experiencing.  Faith isn't totally based on experience, but it is developed within our experiences - within those circumstances in life when we must step out of our comfort zone, trusting in what God has promised, and seeing the manifestation of his promise within our circumstance.

The skeptic cannot get beyond the logic he insists must exist in each thing he embraces.  I need to say this - I don't understand the logic behind the world markets - the ups and downs in the value of the dollar, gold, futures, etc. What I do understand is that somehow all these ups and downs influence the way people invest their monies, countries engage in trade, and stock traders make a living!  Simply put - I know this exists, but I don't have to fully understand it to experience the outcome of these ups and downs!  In fact, I may even think some of the things done in the realm of world market trading is a little illogical!  It doesn't stop me from investing in my 401K or placing money into a CD!

So, if we have been hung up on believing something God says to us, we might just be "hung up" because we are trying too hard to make it "compute" within our minds and we just need to let it sink into our hearts instead!  Just sayin!

Principle 22: Seek Counsel Wisely

In times gone by, men would gather at the gates of the city and engage in serious conversation.  It was a place of more than just meeting - it was a meeting of the minds.  Issues were settled there and wisdom was passed down.  The leaders of the city would often meet there to settle disputes, pass judgments on behalf of a wronged party, and just give insight into life decisions.  It was a place were "wisdom" was spoken and people left usually feeling pretty good about the things they had experienced.  At the gate of the city, a fool was not to be the one engaged in the conversations of giving advice or passing on a judgment for the wronged party.  Why?  They were clueless as the intent of the heart and this rendered them "useless" in making such decisions.  At the gate, they were to remain silent - for their "advice" would only muddle the matter.  In fact, they would often not even grasp the meaning of the conversations of the wise.  I wonder how much "foolish" conversation goes on in places of decision-making these days - especially since we don't have the "gates of the city" where wise leaders gather to hear the problems of the people?

Wise conversation is way over the head of fools; in a serious discussion they haven’t a clue.  (Proverbs 24:7 MSG)

Why is wise conversation over the heads of the fools?  There are probably innumerable reasons, but first and foremost, a fool thinks he knows truth - believing almost anything he hears and sees without really testing it to be sure it is the truth.  Imagine two mothers bringing one small infant to the gates with a fool sitting in the place of making the decision of who the real mother is of the infant.  He might believe the one who is crying the hardest, making the most impassioned plea, or even caressing the small life with tender hands is the "real" mother.  He judges by what he sees and hears, not by what wisdom would know.  A wise person would know the true mother would rather see her child live in the hands of someone else than to have the life of the child taken all together, so when Solomon was in the situation of determining this very decision, he simply predicted the revelation which would be apparent if he just told them to cut the child in two!  The true mother would not allow the child to die and would give over the child to the other woman.  In turn, it revealed the heart of the true mother.  Wisdom goes beyond seeing and hearing, to examining the heart.  How well does the fool examine the heart?  Not so well, I am afraid!

Another reason the fool is not able to engage in serious discussion is his unwillingness to really listen.  A fool already has an answer forming in his own head before the one speaking has a chance to finish, often missing some of the very detail which is necessary to really render any kind of a reliable or sensible decision.  Why?  The fool thinks he knows the answer - often based on some previous experience, what he has been told, read somewhere, etc.  It may not be tested and true, but he believes it to be what is needed to get by in the particular circumstance presented.  He formulates this in his mind and believes he knows what the determination should be - even without hearing the entire argument or heartfelt plea of another.  This is dangerous ground because in not listening, details are missed.  In being so determined you already know the answer, you shut down conversation.  In getting the cart before the horse, you have a miserable journey indeed!

The wise will learn not to rely upon the foolish for their wisdom, but rather will take the time and effort to seek wise counsel.  The conversation of the fool is his undoing - it reveals the truth about the lack of depth of his heart and his unwillingness to learn in this life.  The wise will not engage a fool in decision-making because they know decision based solely on what one believes because of past experience or simply because someone else did something a certain way is not the most reliable source of information. Experience plays a big part in our decision-making process, doesn't it?  To rely solely upon experience is dangerous - for not all experience validates truth. For example, if we stop to buy a scratch off ticket from the lottery machine today and pay one dollar for it, finding we win five dollars after scratching off all that silver goo, can we trust that each and every scratch off ticket will produce the same results.  It would be foolish to count on the "odds" being consistently in our favor, wouldn't it?  Yet, the fool will hold onto this hope based on this one experience.  The "it could happen" faith he has is really not faith, just misplaced hope!

So, when engaging in conversation about important life decisions, go to the wise.  Their source of wisdom comes from a deep well - not from the misplaced hopes and imaginations of the mind of a fool!  Just sayin!

Principle 9: Don't Waste Your Words

Advice - we all need it on occasion, give it on others.  Sometimes it is welcomed, at others it is resented and rejected.  Some advice comes with a little bit of opinion attached, while others is simply a statement of truth which is difficult to ignore.  By definition, advice is an opinion or recommendation offered as a guide for action or conduct.  Sometimes we see someone about to perform a particular action or exhibit conduct which will result in harm to them or another - our immediate response may be to offer some "advice" to not do it, right?  Have you ever noticed that we are quick to offer advice, but sometimes quite slow to take it?  It is much easier to offer an opinion than it it to accept the recommendations of one on the outside looking in!

Don’t bother talking sense to fools; they’ll only poke fun at your words. (Proverbs 23:9 MSG)

Some of us will accept the words of advice we receive - mull them over in our brains a little - then figure out how to use the advice to keep us on the straight and narrow.  The fool, on the other hand, will often reject advice as it is offered, never taking the time to mull it over.  The words fall on deaf ears, so to speak, even when it is solid.  We may deliver a message with all the good sense we can muster, but it will not penetrate the heart or mind of anyone with a mindset determined to do their own thing anyway.

The attitude of heart we must focus on as we look at this ninth principle has to do with how open we are to receive what God gives us through the mouths of those he places in our lives.  Many times we play the "fool" because we just won't open up to the possibilities of another being "right" in a particular situation.  We limit the learning we could receive because we aren't willing to consider the other person's opinion or recommendation.  Now, a word of caution here - not all advice is really worth us taking hold of, but I do think there is a way to determine if advice is "solid" and applicable to our lives.

We need to be open to the recommendations of those God places in our lives. They help to hold us accountable sometimes by the advice they are offering. A fool will reject this advice as "not applicable" or "nonsense" simply because they are either not willing to do the research to see if it is sound advice, or they are too determined to do their own thing.  Either way, the one unwilling to receive what God may be offering through another is indeed playing the part of a fool.

As we consider the advice from others, we need to keep in mind there are several precautionary measures to be considered:

- Does it line up with scripture?  If not, it is wise to reject it as opinion which is not intended for our lives.  If so, then we should consider it in light of what we know to be true within that advice, see if it applies to us, and then embrace it if it does.

- Does it confirm what we already know to be true?  There are times when we have an urging within to do something, but either because of fear or reluctance, we are holding back.  When advice or recommendation comes which confirms this as the direction we are to be taking, knowing full-well it aligns with scripture, and confirms what God has already been trying to speak into our lives, we should step up.  A word of caution here - no "advice" should be "news" to us - if it is, we need to think long and hard before we just accept it at face value.  Confirm it with the scripture, seek God's direction, and maybe even the counsel of another believer to see if they agree.  

The fool is within all of us - we all play the part well at times.  Our best laid plans and fickleness of heart both lend to some pretty foolish actions on occasion.  When we hear clearly the soundness of God's wisdom from another, we need to be open enough to listen carefully, consider it in light of the truth we have been given, and if it applies, embrace it.  Just sayin!

Answering any fools lately?

As hard as it is sometimes to just not respond to the fool with a glib, "What were you thinking?", it is necessary sometimes to set their understanding straight simply if we fail to, we allow for the fool to go on thinking their thinking was "spot on".  What happens when we don't respond to the foolishness of the fool is something akin to opening the floodgates.  We allow for a plethora of other stuff to continue on as though it did not matter.  The fool looks for validation - when he doesn't find resistance to his actions - he takes this as validation.  It is difficult to stop, take the effort and extreme amount of patience to speak with the fool, but sometimes it is the very best course of action to prevent a flood of ill-effects from his/her folly.

Answer a fool in simple terms so he doesn’t get a swelled head.  (Proverbs 26:5 MSG)

Scripture is quite clear - we use simple terms to speak to the simpleton.  No fool is responsive to some lengthy theological argument - but the simplicity of scripture given and explained with brevity is all he may need to understand his choice as not being the wisest.  Ours is not the role of correcting the fool, but we can bring truth were it doesn't exist naturally.  When we do bring truth, we do it with simplicity and accuracy.  Don't beat around the bush with the fool - he cannot figure out subtlety.  The fool needs direct, head-on instruction to know where he got off course and how to turn things around. He may not always hear you, but once you have put the truth out there, it is up to him to embrace it and walk in it, or to reject it and continue to stray off course.

Too many of us fail when we are faced with the folly of the fool because we want to "own" their road out of their mess.  The truth is, the fool cannot learn that way.  We need to allow the fool to experience the muddle of their mess and then figure the steps they need to take to get out of it.  We give them the road map with the truth we share, but we don't hold their hand ensuring they read the map!  The road map is in their possession once we share the truth - the responsibility to consult it with each step is theirs.

We may want to avoid the confrontation with the fool, but we sometimes cannot because their actions are impacting our lives.  When this occurs, we have to know how to approach them (in simplicity), with what it is we approach (the truth), and then how to let go of them so they can embrace their actions (leaving them in the capable hands of the Holy Spirit to convict them of their missteps).  Just sayin!

Heart attraction

We might call a person who really doesn't like to be around other people a recluse.  We might think of this person as living in a secluded area, or in a house with tall shrubs all around so as to keep people out and their "secret lives" secret.  In reality, anyone who lives "shut off" from the world is living a life of a recluse.  I am not much into quantum theory, although I have had the privilege of speaking with some amazingly intelligent men and women who do very well in this field.  I do appreciate some of the principles they teach, one of which is best stated by Erwin Schrodinger, an Austrian Physicist who studied in this field.  He said, "For a solitary animal, egoism is a virtue that tends to preserve and improve the species; in any kind of community it becomes a destructive vice."  Well said, Mr. Schrodinger!  As long as we live with ourselves and engage with no others throughout this lifetime, we might just find our egocentric lifestyle exactly what we need to survive.  If we venture at all into society at large, this egocentricity will be what gives us the greatest conflict!

People who do not get along with others are interested only in themselves; they will disagree with what everyone else knows is right.  A fool does not care whether he understands a thing or not; all he wants to do is show how smart he is.  Sin and shame go together. Lose your honor, and you will get scorn in its place.  A person's words can be a source of wisdom, deep as the ocean, fresh as a flowing stream.  It is not right to favor the guilty and keep the innocent from receiving justice.  When some fool starts an argument, he is asking for a beating.  When a fool speaks, he is ruining himself; he gets caught in the trap of his own words.  Gossip is so tasty—how we love to swallow it!  A lazy person is as bad as someone who is destructive. The Lord is like a strong tower, where the righteous can go and be safe.  (Proverbs 18:1-10 GNT)

The most profound quote about this tendency we have to "isolate" ourselves from others is really from an American preacher.  Henry Ward Beecher once said, "Greatness lies, not in being strong, but in the right use of strength; and strength is not used rightly when it serves only to carry a man above his fellows for his own solitary glory.  He is the greatest whose strength carries up the most hearts by the attraction of his own."  Chew on that one a while and you will see how Mr. Beecher really nailed this one on the head.  Nothing attracts others more than the heart of a man or woman.  Conversely, nothing maintains or damages relationships quicker than the heart of a man or woman.  The heart is the seat of our emotions, intellect, and connects closely with our spirit.  A recluse is self-indulgent, snarling at life, and those who fill the spaces around them.  

As long as we live a solitary existence, we are free to be self-indulgent, excessive or unrestrained in the pursuit of what we believe will satisfy our own appetites, desires, and whims.  To withdraw from relationship is to become "inward focused".  If you know anyone who might just be "me-centered", you will note how quickly the "rules" of conduct they adhere to are really those which they have made for themselves.  The rules of conduct which others live by really don't make sense to them, so they create their own.  If you haven't guessed it by now, this is quite a dangerous spot to find oneself in.  We are not very good at living by the rules - what ever would make us think we could be any better at writing the rules?

We have concluded in our study of the Proverbs that a fool has no interest in understanding - they just want to air their own opinion, follow their own rules, live their own lives.  The problem comes when the fool enters into society trying to air that opinion, live outside the rules of society, or seclude themselves.  A fool lacks judgement and prudence - often expressing what should be left unsaid or speaking before they hear all the facts.  In community, this causes issues.  Maybe this is why the fool gravitates to a life of solitary existence, or at least lives communally with those of like foolish behavior.  

When the foolishness is allowed to prevail, three things are certain to happen:

- There will be a lack of respect for others.  We have a fancy word for this - contempt.  Where there is a lack of respect for others, there is also this willful disregard for the rules - disobedience is the norm, not the exception. Authority is really defined by who makes the rules - the fool follows their own set of rules, so they are their own authority.

- You cannot live long around a fool without seeing some hint of shame. While the fool might think it is fine to follow their rules, their willful disobedience to any authority besides their own will result in some expression of impropriety. Fools engage others in their folly, because they really don't know how to keep what they feel or are doing to themselves.  In the end, they rope others into shameful behavior which will bring much shame or guilt to those who get roped in.

- In the end, disgrace will enter in because you cannot pursue this lifestyle for long without losing favor with others, or diminishing your standing in the community in which you congregate.  Fools will eventually gather a poor reputation and this impacts their feelings of self-worth or self-esteem.  Some will take this to heart and will turn to some authority outside of themselves seeking to be restored.  Others will just wander aimlessly down this path, living as though the "bad rap" they bear matters little to them.  

Fools actually don't know value of community.  Community brings us into a place of accountability - as long as those within our "community" have values which point toward submission to authority, a heartfelt commitment of not allowing shame or guilt to define a person, and there is an overriding drive to maintain the reputation which reflects a heart centered on Christ.  Only then can we truly say our "strength carries up the most hearts by the attraction of our own".  Just sayin!