Call upon Jesus

 I don't know about you, but I have carried around resentment in my life at times that just ate away at me until I finally released that load to God. It was only then that I realized the significant weight I had put on myself and just how awful that stuff was to carry. Proverbs 27:3 reminds us, "A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty, but the resentment caused by a fool is even heavier." Our words and actions can turn from wise and kind toward bitter and foolish in just a matter of minutes. Our plan to be wise and act the 'right' way can be waylaid by some emotional 'mood' that hits us 'just right' at just the 'wrong moment' and there we are embracing foolish actions and a seed of bitterness.

Our mind might be telling us to do one thing, but our emotions can carry us in a different direction when they are allowed to overrule our mind. Truth be told, the other person was kind of foolish in their behavior and it ticked us off just a bit more than normal. Their actions left us with a load of emotions, all jumbled together, and those emotions begin to 'birth' new ones, until we find ourselves carrying a huge load of 'ugly' all because of 'that fool' who acted 'that way'. We might not realize how much the foolish actions or words of another have created a load of bitterness and resentment within us, but if we stop to look at the issue closely, we might just see how much we allowed our emotions to respond to their foolish actions.

We need to become very cautious about our reactions, learning rather to 'respond' and not always to 'react'. There will always be foolish people in our lives, and their actions will most certainly make us want to react with our own foolish actions, but Christ will enable us to respond in a manner that doesn't escalate the situation or create a well-spring of guilt and angst. The worst thing we can do is respond without thought - that is reacting. The load of resentment that comes from dealing with a fool by trying to talk them out of their foolishness or change their minds about something is way more than we will want to bear.

We don't 'talk a fool out of his foolishness' because the fool is bend on doing or saying what he will. We respond with wisdom when we call upon the name of Jesus at that moment when 'reaction' wants to override 'response' within us. When we call upon his name, we are actually leaning into God's wisdom and strength rather than 'giving into' our desire to 'help' or 'show' the fool their actions are not right. You cannot reason with the fool for their is no changing their mind. Walk away, get with God, let him guide you. You are not a 'fool-guide'! Just sayin!

There will be consequences

"The greatest use of a life is to spend it on something that will outlast it." William James

Fools die because they refuse to follow wisdom. They are content to follow their foolish ways, and that will destroy them. But those who listen to me will live in safety and comfort. They will have nothing to fear.” (Proverbs 1:32-33)

Are you following wisdom in your life today? The choices you make today frequently determines the path you take tomorrow. It is as though we were paving the way for things unseen, but they aren't always the best that God had planned for us to experience. Foolish decisions today lead to many an unwanted consequence tomorrow.

Live within the plans of God and experience the best. Live within the foolishness of our own misguided plans and we will likely experience something short of his goodness. Foolish rush in. The wise listen before they move. In fact, the wise can often be seen not moving when others are, all because that "check" in their spirit keeps them from just charging right in.

What choices are you making that will actually reveal a life well lived? If you have found yourself making unwise choices that have done more to add confusion and a lack of peace in your life, it isn't too late to turn away from those choices and pursue wiser ones. God is always ready to extend the grace we need to get back on course with him.

Wise choices outlast the unwise ones every time. The consequences of the unwise ones stick around for a long, long time. We might not think we can be free of those consequences, but God has a way of creating good even out of our lack of wisdom. Learn from those choices and grow out of them. This may be the way we finally are free of those foolish tendencies....to actually learn from them and not repeat them! Just saying!

Obedience first - feelings last

“Fools die because they refuse to follow wisdom. They are content to follow their foolish ways, and that will destroy them. But those who listen to me will live in safety and comfort. They will have nothing to fear.” (Proverbs 1:32-33)

The old song, "Fools rush in", admits that some can be so blinded by something or someone, all reasonable thought flies out the door. One of the lines in the song actually says, "Though I see the danger there, if there's a chance for me, then I don't care..." It goes without saying that we rush into danger more times than not simply because we failed to exercise wisdom in those moments. How can we get to the place where we 'don't rush in'? We learn to listen to God's voice!

God-given wisdom far exceeds human wisdom, but somehow, we think it is okay to just trudge right on into those moments we will come to regret later on. We refuse to listen to his wisdom and find ourselves treading on thin ice. Another line from that same song reminds us, "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread..." If God's angels wouldn't even go there, why do we think it is okay to plunge right in? Our selfish and sinful minds can convince us of a great many follies being 'okay' at the moment, but if we were to admit it, we heard a 'warning' in our thoughts that we chose not to heed.

That 'warning' is God's Spirit trying to show us the right choice to make, but God doesn't 'hold us back' from following our own folly. We must exercise the restraint and count on God to give us that 'extra boost' we need in those areas of our lives where our own strength is rather weak. Emotions can carry us down some awkward paths, hard to navigate and even harder to escape. Relying upon our 'feelings' actually is like the 'fool that rushes in' mentality. We cannot count on our feelings to keep us safe - because we can justify every feeling, right or wrong!

Fools rush in - the wise listen for God's leading. One takes steps without thinking. The other counts on God to help sort out the good thoughts from the bad ones. One counts on what 'feels right', while the other trusts God's direction to be the best path, even when emotions don't quite 'match' what he is asking us to do. Know this: God's direction may contradict our feelings more times than not. To wait for our feelings to catch up to his direction is not the best plan. Sometimes we just need to put aside our feelings and do what we know he is directing us to do. Feelings follow obedient steps, my friends. Just sayin!

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!

The total package

The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces. (Proverbs 10:8)

How we embrace instruction tells a story that we may not always want to hear. The wise embrace it - maybe not with enthusiasm all the time, but with an integrity of heart that says they want to learn what God teaches, regardless of the cost. The fool will just babble about why it is 'too hard', 'not something he needs', or that there is 'some other answer' he must discover before he 'tries this one'. Oh, I hope none of us are like the fool who babbles on, but rather are like the wise who sit at the feet of Jesus and listen intently.

If we want to reject God's teachings, it is our prerogative. In turn, don't be surprised when the same lesson keeps coming around and around, maybe with a different presentation each time, but with the same 'heart intent'. God isn't going to let us just reject the lesson once and then say that is the way it will be. His grace keeps reaching out to help us 'soften' to the wisdom being taught. For many of us, lessons are caught and not taught. We find ourselves learning from others, not because they are smarter than us but because they may have taken hold of the lesson quicker than we did.

The fool babbles on - the wise gets quiet and listens. That may actually be a good way to judge how much we are willing to accept instruction from God. Do we listen first, or give an incessant ranting about why we don't think the lesson is meant for us? The fool may not see he is headed for a pretty big fall, but the wise will do everything they can to avoid any 'tripping points' in the path! If we take notice of the path before we take the journey, we may not choose that particular path. If we just amble along, expecting that all will be well, we could just find ourselves on a path that is way above our endurance!

My heart isn't always 'glad' to receive instruction - especially when it comes with correction. Part of instruction is correction. We need to know where we are 'making mistakes' so we can learn the 'right way' to live. While correction is not desired, it is definitely needed. The fool never gets to the point of accepting correction, much less admitting he needs it. The wise enter into all instruction with the knowledge that correction may just be part of the 'total package'. Just sayin!

Seen through grace

The Lord sees everything you do, and he watches where you go. An evil man will be caught in his wicked ways; the ropes of his sins will tie him up. He will die because he does not control himself, and he will be held captive by his foolishness. (Proverbs 5:21-23)

If we think we are not being 'observed' in our folly, we might want to reconsider that belief because God misses nothing. The moment I said that some of us cringed, thinking about something we said, thought, or did in the past 24-48 hours, having hoped God didn't know about it. We all have those moments - wishing we hadn't acted the way we did, but knowing we somehow received grace and healing even after 'acting badly'. God's grace amazes me each and every time. We don't deserve it, but somehow it is right there for those of who call upon his name for it - not once, but each and every time.

Evil men are indeed 'roped' by their sins - binding them to the guilt and shame of it. Those who have said 'yes' to Jesus know they have done wrong, but also know what it is to be embraced by God's grace in response to our confession of that guilt and shame. If you have trouble 'controlling' yourself, pursuing things you know you should not be, there is a way of escaping those 'ropes'. The way is Jesus. We just need to ask for his help and then accept his grace. Grace isn't given so we can keep on sinning (pursuing our own way), but it is given because he loves us enough to not hold those sins over our heads.

Foolishness has a way of getting all of us from time to time. It is good news indeed that when we aren't wise enough to not pursue that course of action, God is right there, seeing the path we have chosen, and loving us too much to allow us to continue in that path. That is indeed good news. God's love doesn't 'mask' our sins - he still sees them but loves us too much to allow us to continue. We are 'seen', but his love sees something of great worth in each of us. Thank goodness he sees that worth, even when we don't. Just sayin!

Welcome to the 'Folly-wood'

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. (Proverbs 26:1-6)

A fool is merely anyone who lacks judgment or good sense. Now, if we were to be truthful 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 is someone who does this habitually - but in everyday life, we all play the fool on occasion. The issue with the fool - they don't embrace wisdom, so they keep using "faulty" judgment over and over again. There are probably areas in our lives where we do the same - 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".

The way the fool interacts with life is important for us to understand. These "interaction moments" need to be viewed in the way God sees them, so we become a little more sensitive to when those "moments" creep up in our lives! 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!

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 "slights" which are against him. 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 as it did - we need to let those go! The fool has a problem accepting leadership over his life. 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. 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"!

When we answer a fool with equally "foolish" responses, we are slipping right into the same "folly". Rash responses are really the "trend" or "norm" for the fool. God's way of "doing business" is to be a little slower to answer than we might desire but hitting the nail on the head each and every time. The fool is impulsive - lacking in discretion and prudence. 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. The fool will accept at face value anything which resembles truth. 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. His indiscretions are many, often the same mistakes 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 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 how to break this cycle of 'folly' - because none of us wants to be labeled 'fool'. Just sayin!

Life Hack #24: Turning the Other Cheek

Life Hack #24:

A person who plans evil will get a reputation as a troublemaker. The schemes of a fool are sinful; everyone detests a mocker. (Proverbs 24:8-9)

We all have come across the kind of people who just love to sit around, planning some kind of misbehavior, waiting for the moment to spring it on someone. Most of the time, it is in jest, but that is not always the case. A troublemaker is anyone who causes difficulties, distress, or worries - kind of out of habit and with a desire to bring injury, harm, or suffering to another. This individual makes a habit of making life miserable for others. Not the kind of people we want to associate with on a regular basis! They are the "instigators" - wherever trouble seems to be brewing, you can pretty much be assured they had something to do with it! Avoid these individuals as much as possible - because the end they desire differs from the end God desires for your life!

The troublemaker has a heart bent on evil. The difference between an occasional misadventure caused by not thinking something through and the trait of being a troublemaker is the scheming and planning to create evil - through either foolish intent, or outright attack designed to ridicule and bring contempt. To engage in "trouble-making" once in a while doesn't suggest a heart bent on evil, but just a human heart! To engage in this way of life all the time indicates intent. The heart schemes in order to taunt another with either verbal, physical, or emotional distress - in order to bring some pleasure to the troublemaker and accompanying distress to the one they are targeting.

A troublemaker gets the reputation of being the "prince of rogues". A rogue is one who is both dishonest and mischievous. When a "rogue" organism is found, we call it that because it differs so much from the original it just stands out. This individual is untrustworthy - just because of all the ways they manipulate and scheme to work whatever plan it is they have in mind. It should not surprise you that the rogue personality is also described as a fool and a mocker. One who schemes and plots to bring about a particular end is given to foolish thoughts and finding ways to point out the faults of another (even if is through sarcasm).

We have to recognize their heart if we are to avoid them. God gives us the ability to be able to look at the behaviors of another, listening also to what their words betray about their heart. When these things point clearly to this 'routine' of wrong type of behavior, it is best to avoid these individuals. Since we can all be engaged in a little bit of trouble making on occasion, we can all say we have a little bit of the "rogue" in each of us, but these individuals don't vary in their practice - it is consistent. 

Some may think when we engage with a troublemaker, we actually give them more fuel for their fire. If we ignore their behavior, not allowing their words to affect us, they get flustered with being ignored, but this doesn't shut down their behavior. Being ignored is not what the troublemaker wants - they want to cause their upheaval and see those who they target respond to it. When they are ignored, they scheme a little harder and find new ways to begin their trouble-making schemes again. The best way to deal with the troublemaker is to return good for their evil. Isn't that the lesson Jesus was teaching when he said to turn the other cheek. The troublemaker will be caught off-guard by receiving a blessing when he brings forth a curse. We almost put him in a place of being put "off-balance" because the scheme did not have the effect he designed. Return enough blessings in the face of his schemes and he will be shut down. He may not stop being a troublemaker, but he will move on because he knows he cannot beat you! Just sayin!

The Fool Within

"What were you thinking?", I said. Then I realized I wasn't thinking! It is necessary to set my understanding straight on occasion, or you allow the 'inner fool' to go on thinking that thinking was "spot on". What happens when we don't respond to the foolishness? We allow a plethora of other stuff to continue on as though it did not matter. The inner fool looks for validation - when it doesn't find resistance to its actions, it takes this as validation. It is difficult to stop, take the effort and extreme amount of patience to speak with the fool around you, but sometimes it is harder to speak to the one within you! Yet, it is the very best course of action to prevent a flood of ill-effects from that 'inner' folly.

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

We use simple terms to speak to the simpleton. No fool (even our inner fool) is responsive to some lengthy theological argument - the simplicity of scripture taken in is all the fool may need to understand that choice as not being the wisest. Ours is not the role of correcting the fool, but we can bring truth where it doesn't exist naturally - even to our inner man. When we do bring or take in truth, we need to do it with simplicity and accuracy. The 'inner fool' cannot figure out subtlety. What is needed is direct, head-on instruction to know where we got off course and how to turn things around. Once truth is put out there, it is up to us 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" the road out of the mess we find ourselves in. We need to allow the inner fool to experience the muddle of the mess and then figure the steps we need to take to get out of it. We have the road map with the truth we take in, but we don't might need a little hand holding from a higher source to ensure we read the map correctly! The road map is in our possession once we take in truth - the responsibility to consult it with each step doesn't stop just because we have the map.

We may want to avoid the confrontation with the inner fool, but we really cannot because those actions are impacting our lives. We have to know how to approach the inner fool (in simplicity), with what it is we approach (the truth), and then how to let go of the foolishness so we can embrace the right actions (in the care of the capable hands of the Holy Spirit to convict us where necessary). Just sayin!

What can we learn from a fool?

A smart man makes a mistake, learns from it, and never makes that mistake again. But a wise man finds a smart man and learns from him how to avoid the mistake altogether. (Roy H. Williams)

Are you the 'smart man' or the 'wise man'? I cop to being a 'smart' person most of the time, and a 'wise' person some of the time. At times, I forget there are things I don't have to 'experience' in order to 'learn' from them - through the lives of others that have experienced them. I don't have to take a safari in the African wilderness to enjoy the many things others have experienced while they did because they have photos, movies, and great stories to tell. No, I did not experience it first-hand, but I can learn much from the experience of those who did. Maybe one of the most important things we can learn from the wise man is that of learning to control our tongues - not speaking everything we think!

A person who talks sense is honored; airheads are held in contempt. (Proverbs 12:8)

What does it mean to 'talk sense'? It is more than be the smartest one in the room. It includes the idea of seeing the truth that some others miss - being open to listen, learn, and then speak. A wise person will learn to listen before they speak. They will ponder the 'unspoken' as well as that which is aired. Why? There is probably a more significant message in the unspoken than there was in the words that were uttered. Sometimes what we 'leave out' is really the 'crux' of what needs to be understood. A wise person learns to 'read between the lines', so to speak. The fool has what scripture labels as a 'perverse heart'. A heart that is willfully determined to go against what is expected or desired. When scripture refers to someone as a fool, it doesn't always mean someone is 'unlearned' - it means they have chosen a path that is contrary to what is right or true. They are determined to go wayward - sometimes out of ignorance, but at others with determined steps. 

A 'wise man' learns from both the 'smart' and 'foolish' man. Why? There is as much wisdom in learning from one who has made the mistakes and learned from them as there is in learning from the one who has a willful determination to make them all of the time! Yes, we'd all like to go through life never making a mistake, but we will. How much more wisdom can one possess if he observes both the 'smart' and the 'foolish' man? I believe it could be significant! We might listen well to the words of the 'wise', while discounting the words of the 'fool', but even the words of the fool can reveal a lesson to us. The lesson? When we willfully choose to go counter to what God asks and expects of us, that obstinance will lead down a path headed for some pretty big pitfalls. We can learn to avoid those same pitfalls by observing, listening to, and learning from the fool. Chances are the 'wise' man has observed the fool and will choose a different path as a result. Just sayin!

In one ear...out the other

 Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like. (James 1:22-24)

I have been fooled by a good many things in this lifetime and there are still other things just waiting to dupe me at some point down the road, even my own folly. Since coming to Christ, I'd have to admit my own folly doesn't quite dupe me as it did once upon a time. In fact, even considering something kind of foolish now causes me a moment or two of pause and reflection. I have learned to consider my course - choose my steps a little better than I did in my youth. It certainly didn't come easily, though. Our folly has a loud and continually beckoning voice! It wants one way and that is its own way. Attempt to shut that voice down and you might just realize a battle is about to ensue. 

We all 'listen', but what we choose to listen to may differ quite a bit from day to day, hour to hour, and minute to minute. If you don't believe me, stop right now and think about what you are listening to in the background right now. Some of you have music playing softly, others have a TV announcing out something, and still others will hear the laughter of children at play. We are all 'listening' to some degree, but the 'degree' by which we choose to listen to God's direction in our lives may differ depending upon our distractions, fatigue, and even resolve. Listening is only a small part of this battle with folly - acting upon what we know to be right and true in spite of whatever distracting 'voice' it is we are listening to right now is hard work.

Mom always used that little phrase, "In one ear and out the other", oftentimes describing how it appeared I was listening to her as a young child. She would also use it to describe how I needed to 'dismiss quickly' some of the things I was hearing at school and in my social circles. Remember the words of our parents asking us if our friend jumped from a bridge would that mean we would too? Her aim was to get me to 'dismiss quickly' the things that were pure folly and totally unreasonable for me to be responding to - in one ear and out the other. God doesn't want us to treat his truth this way, though - he'd like us to allow that to get 'trapped inside our heads', until it has a chance to fully affect our hearts.

God knows this battle with foolishness is real for us, so he gives us a great 'clue' in how to deal with folly - listen well. Don't just give his truth a cursory glance and a temporary consideration. Experience it deeply - let it be 'mulled' within your spirit and soul until it begins to change the way we think and respond to folly's loud voice. Acting upon always follows hearing - I think we get that mixed up at times. We think we can just act obediently, then wonder why foolishness was the outcome. We didn't have all the information we needed in order to avoid those foolish steps. We didn't take time to listen intently - truth taking hold so that folly would be exposed for what it really is.

The next time you stand there just taking in things around you, allowing ever 'voice' to have a place in your life, stop and consider where that will get you. There is only one 'voice' we should be attentive to - God's. There is only one truth we should consider before we take any step forward - God's. Plain and simple - we need to stop letting his truth go in one ear and out the other. We need to ponder it over and over again until it begins to expose the folly of our souls. Then we will be able to form the 'actions' we need to take to avoid that folly once and for all in our lives. Just sayin!

Did you raise intelligent children?

Okay, so how many of you would say your parents raised intelligent children? How about your own kiddos - would you consider them to be intelligent children? Ask most parents that question and you would get an immediate response of a little bit taller posture, a grin appearing on their faces, and a quick "I think we did a pretty great job with them" might come forth. Ask a group of parents with wayward kiddos and you might just get a sulking glance and a little less positivity in their response. Intelligent children are not 'smart' in terms of book-learning, although that might help them get places in this world, but wise in terms of knowing when and how to be obedient to the right set of values or morals. I imagine there were times when my parents looked upon my actions and saw a child acting pretty foolishly - off doing her own thing, oblivious to the 'rules' by which I was to have made my choices. Yet, there were other times I know they looked upon my choices as wise and well-founded. It is pretty much a given that we will make bad choices in life, but what is the pattern of behavior we see? If the pattern is pretty much on the side of living obedient lives, I daresay we have raised 'intelligent children'.

Intelligent children listen to their parents; foolish children do their own thing. (Proverbs 13:1)

God asks for his kiddos to sit up at an attentive stance, taking notice of the things he values and declares to be 'treasures' in his kingdom - then learn to make choices that reinforce those values and keep those 'treasures' from being stolen away from us. Listening requires attentiveness - the basis of obedience is hearing what is being declared to be 'in' or 'out' of bounds for our lives. It requires some degree of willingness to put aside our own wants and wishes at times, but only because giving into every 'desire' of our heart isn't all that wise. There are some pretty silly things our hearts can direct us to do. Don't believe me? Just ask the last person you know who went through a relationship break-up what they were 'listening to' when they went head-long into that relationship. I doubt it was their spirit - it was more likely their emotions! Emotions are 'heart-based'.

God is after the heart - because he knows how much our heart can lead us astray. It pulls at our reason and exercises 'unreasonable' influence over our 'reason'. Hence, we label the behaviors that are primarily emotionally based as 'foolishness' most of the time. Those behaviors don't always work out as well as we had hoped - leaving us 'cleaning up' some form of mess in our lives. It is because we have chosen to do our 'own thing' that we are in the mess, but it isn't that God hasn't raised 'intelligent children'. It is because we have let go of that 'spiritual intelligence' for just a moment or two to pursue something our heart desired the most at that moment. We chose to follow a path of foolishness rather than stay on the harder path of obedience. Not one of us makes wise choices to consistently be obedient 100% of the time - not ONE. Not one of us is above doing our own thing from time to time - leading to foolish outcomes indeed.

If you were to ask me if I raised intelligent children, I'd have to say 'mostly'. There have been those moments when they chose to do their own thing, leading down paths I'd wished they never experienced. For the most part, they know the values and treasures they are to focus on first in their lives, but just like the rest of us, they don't always put those things first. The most we can do as parents is show our children what choices are wise and which ones are not. We can help them discover the values that God treasures and the things he declares of supreme worth. Can we make them always choose those things above their own desires? Absolutely not. We can model, train, and even lead - but we cannot choose for them. God just asks that we raise them to the best of the ability he gives us - then leave the rest to him. Obedience is a heart thing - they will choose with their own hearts and we might not always like their choices, but it doesn't mean we love them any less.

God knows we will choose with our own hearts - but it never means he loves us any less when we choose to follow a path of foolish choices for a period of time. It just means his grace will be needed even more so that we can be restored to the path of obedience once again. Just sayin!

Let truth do the work

Answer fools when they speak foolishly, or they will think they are really wise. (Proverbs 26:5)

One can always be wise in their own eyes - because the fool often fails to see what is right in front of their own eyes. The wise person spends time reading the situation to know whether to answer or not - taking just that little bit of time before answering often keeps us out of silly quarrels or needless minutes lost listening to the rantings of a fool! How do you answer a fool? It isn't that they don't deserve an answer, but maybe the way we answer them is more important than we think. The moment we stop to consider our answer - pondering the potential intent of the fool's words - we might just uncover something that will expose the foolish thoughts and intents of the heart that otherwise wouldn't ever be exposed!

To not counteract the words of the fool is to be foolish yourself. Why? The fool will go on spreading the foolishness just as he sees it - as he interprets life and how he is motivated by whatever is fueling his intent. The moment we take to consider our answer to the foolishness of a man's heart gives us time to listen to the small voice of the Spirit within. Jesus assured his disciples they'd never be at a loss for words - as long as they listened for that still, small voice. The best way to counter foolishness is with truth - it cannot stand up to truth. 

The fool doesn't really know his actions or words are all that foolish, though. There is a fine line in answering to expose his folly, and being downright rude or dismissive in one's response. The wise will respond to the folly of the fool in a way that brings truth without tearing down or unnecessarily wounding the fool. Now, don't get me wrong - the truth can sometimes sting. When I was young, mom and grandma used to believe the best thing for any type of cut or abrasion was to pour hydrogen peroxide on it. You know what comes next don't you? Yup! It burned like the dickens and got all white and foamy as it did it intended work. Sometimes truth it like that - it might sting a little, but it was the right thing to say because as soon as it 'hit the mark' it began to do what truth does - it exposes what really needs to be 'cleaned away'.

I used to think that you could argue with a fool bent on his own way of believing something to be, but I will let you in a little secret here - I lost more 'battles' to the fools than I won by arguing with them! The truth sets things in order - maybe not at first, but in time truth does its work - just like the hydrogen peroxide on my cut. There is no need to argue with the fool - his foolishness will just inflame the situation and that can make things get a little out of control. Arguing with a fool is like pouring fuel on a fire - it ignites more and more foolishness! The truth spoken is often not heeded right away, but when spoken in love and the authority given to you as a child of God, the truth never returns void. You may not see the immediate result of it, but it is working nonetheless. Just sayin!

Enter in

9 Wisdom has built her house; she has made it strong with seven columns. 2 She has cooked meat, mixed wine, and put food on the table. 3 She has sent her servant girls to announce from the highest hill in the city, 4 “Whoever needs instruction, come.” She invites all the simple people and says, 5 “Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have prepared. 6 Leave your old, foolish ways and live! Advance along the path of understanding.” 

(Proverbs 9:1-6 ERV)

For just a moment, imagine this huge house with the biggest dining area you have ever seen. The table is all set with lots and lots of fruits, cheeses, and fresh baked crusty breads. The room is filled with the luscious odors of finely seasoned meats roasting on a bed of hot coals, savory roots and nourishing veggies mixed with rich butter, and the sweetness of baked desserts oozing with goodness. The servants all stand at the ready to launch into service, but there are no guests yet. The room is empty except for those who stand at the ready, but this feast has not been prepared for the affluent or the proud. It has been prepared specifically for those who have "need" - for those who are ready to "leave" behind their need and enter into the goodness prepared just for them.

The call goes out - come if you have need, enter if you're interested in leaving your old ways...the door is open, the feast is prepared. The call is for "whoever", meaning anyone who realizes they have the need to partake of Wisdom's table. It isn't a "by special invitation only" kind of moment - it is one of those moments when you come to a place of realizing the intensity of your hunger and the desire to have that hunger met with what will truly satisfy. The feast is set, the participants just need to realize the invitation is for them!

A little later in this chapter there is a comparison of the "other woman" who merely sits at her door and calls out - the woman's name is "Foolishness". She hasn't gone to such troubles, but she doesn't have to exert much effort to get people to enter her doors! It says of those who pass by that they show little interest in her offering to enter, but somehow they are lured in anyway. It isn't the amount of effort she exerts as much as it is they are too gullible to realize the death trap they are about to enter. It says of her house, "18 Those simple people don’t realize that her house is full of ghosts and that her guests have entered the world of the dead." 

One feast is prepared with the greatest of care. The other house is "open", but the same appeal isn't there, yet the ease at which some can be invited in should not surprise us. There are just some who will take the easiest path in life, regardless of how appealing some others might be. Let us be wise in our choice of "whose" house we will enter into today. Let us not choose the easiest, but the "choicest"! Just sayin!

Silence speaks the loudest

Do not answer (nor pretend to agree with the frivolous comments of) a (closed-minded) fool according to his folly, otherwise you, even you, will be like him.  Answer (and correct the erroneous concepts of) a fool according to his folly, otherwise he will be wise in his own eyes (if he thinks you agree with him). (Proverbs 26:4-5 AMP)

This passage seemed a little contradictory this morning. The first part of the passage tells us NOT to answer a fool, while the second part tells us we DO answer a fool. Confusing, huh? So, how is it we are to respond to foolish people, with their foolish plans and supposed "wisdom of the ages" as they put it? There are indeed times when we probably just need to keep silent, for our silence is enough to counteract their foolishness! 

There are other times when it is both wise and necessary to answer their foolishness - so that others aren't manipulated by their foolish plans or pulled into senseless beliefs themselves. Learning how to do this is kind of like an art - it takes wisdom and some practice - for I am here to report I have tried on occasion to do so without much success! I got pulled into argument rather than just helping to shed a little wisdom into the situation - just because it was so doggone easy to fall into the trap of argument when all I needed to do was state truth and stand firm!

As our writer states, some will try to pretend to agree with the fool who has a very closed mind, just because they think it is easier - avoiding confrontation and calamity. It is indeed easier, but in the end you find the foolishness just gets magnified because the fool now thinks he has others following his train of thought and purpose! It is equally unwise to allow the fool to continue with his folly without giving as much light and truth into the matter as is possible - for whatever is not corrected by truth becomes a new standard by which one makes decisions and takes future actions.

While it may not be easy to correct a fool, for they seem to be set in their ways, it is necessary to continually bring truth into a matter whenever practical. As I have already stated, there are times when silence (not saying anything at all to counter their foolish words or actions) is just as good as stating truth. For example, when the fool is attempting to incite argument and/or divide a group of people, is it wise to jump right into it with the fool? Probably not, for the fool is rarely dissuaded from his mission to create havoc and stir up dissension in the ranks. 

We don't like the tactic of silence on occasion, but honestly it may speak the "loudest" message to the fool who is just not being dissuaded from their evil intent and foolish message. Just sayin (or maybe not sayin)!

Wisdom demands use

It takes wisdom for the clever to understand the path they are on, but the fool is deceived by his own foolishness.  (Proverbs 14:8 VOICE)

Albert Einstein once said, "Before God we are equally wise - and equally foolish."  How true!  We might think pretty highly of ourselves on occasion, but in God's eyes the foolishness of our ways is never hidden!  Sometimes the wisest action we can take is to admit we are wrong - a hard action to take, but much benefit await those willing to stop what they are doing long enough to evaluate if is the right thing!  

Wisdom isn't something learned at the feet of a wise guru in some remote part of the world - it is that which is learned by sitting at the feet of Jesus.  We often search for wisdom in the silliest of places, all the while missing the fact that wisdom is no further away than the cry of our heart, the sound of our voice, or the beating of our heart.  Where Jesus is, there is wisdom.

it is so easy to listen to our own desires and to allow those to motivate us into some course of action - good or bad.  We often don't need much coaxing to take the wrong actions, all the while needing the entire cheer squad of some national football team to get us motivated toward the right!  Why is it that we respond to the wrong motivations so much quicker than we do the right?  I think it has to do with the fact we are equally wise and foolish at the same time!

We have wisdom - we choose not to use it.  Possession is wise - not using what we possess is honestly kind of dumb!  I have some treasures in my house I don't use - they are decorative in nature.  Things like collectibles handed down through the generations as tokens reminding us of our heritage - of those who have passed before us.  These treasures are serving a purpose - as reminders.

Often the biggest help in life comes from the things we use as reminders to assist us in making right choices.  As I am attempting to make lifestyle changes to get my body healthy, I have had to set some goals - but getting those goals is best accomplished when I use certain tools to assist me in remembering what it is I have eaten, how many steps I have taken today, etc.  To have all the tools at our disposal and then not to use them in ways that encourage us to make the right choices, avoiding the foolishness of choosing our own way, is kind of goofy!

The path we are on is determined by the motivation of our heart. The heart is declared in scripture to be pretty deceitful.  As such, it can steer us wrong on occasion - so we'd better have some ways of 'challenging' those motivations which may not be right for us.  As I track my desired intake for the day, I use an app on my phone to assist me in making choices that "fit within" the target I have set.  My desire may be for a juicy hamburger, complete with all the trimmings and fries on the side.  The app warns me I can probably eat nothing more than lettuce the rest of the day if I make that choice!  Sometimes the app acts as an "assistive device" to help me make the right choice - because lettuce is not going to be a good alternative to get me through the rest of the day!

The wisest among us realize the one who resides within is really the wisest among us!  The wisest rely not upon their own wisdom, but that which comes from listening intently for his voice to guide them into right choices. Just sayin!

Answer not the fool

I have been in situations where I say something so foolish, then stand there waiting for someone else to say something - what am I waiting for?  I want them to say something so that I don't look as foolish!  My hope is that my foolishness will be covered up by something they say.  How would that work? There is this principle of answering a fool - when you do, you look foolish yourself!  It is quite true - think about it.  The last time you were around someone who really said something downright foolish and kind of dumb, did you just jump in with some type of argument to the contrary or something equally as foolish?  How'd it make YOU look at that moment?  Their jumping in really took the light off of you and put it on them.  They now look even more foolish than you did.  You might think you can "answer" a fool, but in truth, whenever you do you are setting yourself up to look even more foolish.  No amount of argument, "wisdom", or advice will turn the folly of the fool around again - once the train has left the station (the words are out of the mouth), it is too late to stop it!

There is no good way to answer fools when they say something stupid. If you answer them, then you, too, will look like a fool. If you don’t answer them, they will think they are smart. (Proverbs 26:4-5 ERV)

If this principle is true (and I don't think God would put principles in scripture which are not the truth), then we should examine how it is we avoid the conflict with fools (and avoid being the one labeled the fool).  To find out a little more, we need look no further than a few more verses into this same chapter:

- Never let a fool carry your message. If you do, it will be like cutting off your own feet. You are only asking for trouble. (vs. 6)  Now, those are poignant words, are they not?  The message a fool brings is often "messed up" in the delivery simply because it has been carried by a fool.  Do you remember the adage, "If something can go wrong, it will"?  In the hands of a fool, your message is sure to go wrong.  Why?  They don't have the same respect for your message as you do - so they won't carry it with the same "value".  When something is worth saying, it is worth saying by you!

- A fool trying to say something wise is like a crippled person trying to walk. (vs. 7)  What a picture, huh?  Think about a person crippled by some disease and then imagine them trying to walk.  They stumble around a lot, right?  A fool is a bit like the cripple man trying to walk - they stumble over their words, find it hard to put things in the right order, and get things a little mixed up on occasion. The fool rarely knows up from down because he is trying so hard to keep all the balls in the air in order to keep the eyes off of him.

-  A fool trying to say something wise is like a drunk trying to pick a thorn out of his hand. (vs. 9)  Another pretty graphic picture of how it is when a fool tries to "manage his words".  A drunk lacks dexterity - fine motor coordination is just not there!  He cannot focus - a common problem with the fool - a lack of focus. This is probably the most important reason to not entrust a fool with important things - he cannot maintain focus.  We might have one intention in mind, but he is easily distracted and sent off-course.

In examining just a few short verses, we see the problems inherent in reasoning with or answering a fool.  There is an inability to focus, the desire to distract from what has been said, and this idea of committing priceless treasure to someone who will not value it in the same way you do.  This is probably the main reason we don't answer a fool - they don't value the treasure of your words.  Just sayin!

The right influence makes all the difference

There is much to the belief which holds to the idea of surrounding yourself with the right people bringing you success in life.  When we choose our "circle" well, we find ourselves being influenced to move in directions which increase our "value" in some way.  Choose the wrong "circle" and we might not realize quite the same increase in "value".  Now, lest you think I believe your acquaintances actually are where you find your unique value in life, this is not what I am saying.  In fact, there is but one place we find our unique value and that is when we look fully into the face of Jesus.  It is in what we see reflected back as we fully explore the depth of his gaze that we find our supreme and unique value. Yet, our relations here on earth can either build us up, or tear us down. Those which build us up have a way of adding "value" by our association; those which tear us down actually take away "value" by our association.  The latter erode away at our confidence, play upon our insecurities, and reinforce our fears. It is much better to surround ourselves with those who don't resist correction in their own lives - showing by example what it is like to embrace even the hard lessons so that steps can be reordered to ensure a right path is followed.  It is also important to surround ourselves with those who think about others as revealed in their willingness to lay down their own desires for the benefit of another. This is what I mean about our relations "lending value" to our lives - the right ones make all the difference in ways which encourage our growth rather than tearing us down or apart!

All who refuse correction will be poor and disgraced; all who accept correction will be praised. It’s a good feeling to get what you want, but only a stupid fool hates to turn from evil. Wise friends make you wise, but you hurt yourself by going around with fools. (Proverbs 13:18-20 CEV)

There are certainly times when we all refuse correction - leading us to places in life where we feel like grace is far from us.  We see walls closing in around us because of choices we have made and it almost frightens us to no end.  We feel "disgraced" - like we have lost a place of honor and now must deal with our shame over the matter.  Choices in relationship make all the difference with not only putting us in those compromising situations, but in helping us bounce back if we have compromised!  I know my best friend speaks life into my steps, not death.  She might not mince her words at times, but I need her to be this forthright with me because when she is, I can see where it is I am out of step with what God wants in my life.  Disgrace is actually a "place" in our emotional make-up where we feel like we have lost favor.  Good relationships help us to never lose sight of the fact we never lose favor in God's eyes - we can always find new grace in his presence.  Refusing correction assures us we will "lose" something - because honor is impacted when we are refusing grace.  We stand in a place of "honor" because of what grace has done in our lives.  Without the grace of God extended into and over our lives, we'd stand in a place of dishonor. With it, we are exalted beyond our wildest imaginings!

Having the wrong relationships can lead us into places of seeking what is natural for us to seek - everything which meets our fancies, builds up our selfish desires, and leads to us being the ones fulfilled in the moment.  Having the right relationships can keep us from being so self-centered!  We may "want" a lot of things in life, but the one thing we need to guard against standing in a place of "want" for is solid relationships.  We don't want to find ourselves walking this pathway alone, or worse yet, with the wrong traveling companions!  What God wants to us is for us to surround ourselves with others who know the grace of God in their own lives and lean into that grace each and every day.  Those who thumb their noses at God's grace are dangerous companions to place in your circle.  Two things we all need in this life:  God's grace and good companions who also understand his grace.  Two things which will leave us wanting in this life:  Being so full of our own self-worth we don't see the need for finding our value in Jesus and being so unwise in our choices as to think things, position, or power give us "worth" in life.  

Wise friends make us wise.  The first relationship we all need to "get right" is the one we have with Jesus.  When this is the primary focus in life, we soon find the other relationships we have begin to matter in ways we might not have seen before.  We will also recognize those which don't and will gradually see those drifting outside of our circle - not because they aren't good people, but because they draw us away from grace and toward foolishness.  Foolish people will drive us toward foolish action.  If we want to make better decisions in life, it often begins with changing those we have in our circle of influence.  Why?  We are influenced by their actions and they by ours.  We need the right influences if we are to even come remotely close to making less "foolish" decisions in life.  Just sayin!

Can we "fix stupid"?

There is a saying in today's culture which goes something like, "You cannot fix stupid".  In other words, sometimes it is just beyond your control - you don't have the influence, the wherewithal, or the know-how to stop whatever "dumb stuff" is happening.  When this is said as an insult, someone is implying you are beyond learning.  There were times when my kids were growing up where I almost thought this principle applied.  I'd watch them do exactly what I had taught them repeatedly not to do and then see them suffer the consequences of their actions.  Now, lest you think I am some kind of terrible mom, I never knowingly let them do something which would hurt themselves, but I did let them struggle on occasion because it was this very struggle which helped them to realize there was some wisdom in what I had taught.  They had to "learn" from their missteps - or they would keep repeating them.  We cannot expect others to just accept at "face value" the truths we adhere to in our lives - they have to see it modeled sometimes in a hundred different ways.  All of a sudden, they come to a place where they realize the truth themselves - because they connected the dots between what they saw modeled and what they had been taught. Truthfully, I don't believe anyone is beyond learning - even the most stubborn, or the most ignorant - we can ALL learn - we just have to be open to it!

God wants you to silence stupid and ignorant people by doing right. You are free, but still you are God’s servants, and you must not use your freedom as an excuse for doing wrong. (I Peter 2:15-16 CEV)

I like this translation of the passage because it is pretty doggone right on!  You CAN fix stupid - meaning foolish or senseless behavior.  You CAN fix ignorance - meaning lacking in the knowledge which will set them free.  You can lead an example which shows how to not misuse your freedom in Christ, but yet live a quite enjoyable and satisfying life.  How do we influence a culture which is bent on foolish or senseless behavior?  By modeling the best behavior we are able to (obedience).  How do we bring a greater degree of understanding into today's world?  By living the Word, not just speaking it.  We all know you can proclaim something repeatedly (just as I did with my kids), but when it comes to putting into application the truths we have heard, this is where we ALL struggle!  Even the most devout Christian will stumble on occasion - but it is what we do in those moments between the stumble and being upright again that matter to those watching us!

You see, I don't think our stumbling is ever "not noticed" because we are being watched in ways we will never fully realize this side of heaven.  For a moment, let's not focus on the fact God sees everything we do and hears every word we speak.  We know he is everywhere at all times and knows all things, so who else is watching?  For starters, he has a whole host of angels both in heaven and on this earth who "take in" our behavior - seeing clearly the choices we make and the outcome of those choices.  Okay, so beyond the "heavenly realm", who else is watching?  We may never know, but trust me, do something "stupid" or show your "ignorance" in some manner and SOMEONE will see it!  It may be a total stranger, but someone is watching.  

We "silence" (still, bring into a place of rest) those around us by modeling the truths we are being taught in the Word.  As God opens up the beauty of his scripture to us, it begins to affect the integrity of our lives - putting us together in ways not possible without this "binding" effect of the Word setting things "right" in our lives.  When this "putting things right" occurs, others begin to notice the changes within.  They may not know what is going on with us on the "inside", but they see a definite change outwardly.  What they are observing is God setting things right in us - helping to "fix" foolishness in us!  All liberty in this world begins FIRST in us.  So many times we get this backwards - thinking we need to fix others around us.  We need to realize others are influenced by our actions - get things right in yourself first and others will begin to notice the change - even desire it themselves!

To be truthful here, there are times when I run to God with my temptation.  There are also times when I dilly-dally a little and kind of "toy with" my temptation a little.  I don't guess I am alone here.  I think some of us have "stronger" moments when we realize any compromise will be our undoing, while there are other times when we think a little compromise will not really hurt us.  This is probably the hardest lesson for us to grasp in life because we forget how damaging a little drop can be against the firmness of a hard stone when it is repeatedly allowed to hit the same spot over and over again.  Most of the time we think the tiniest compromise won't hurt us in the long run, but it is like the drip today which is followed by the two drips tomorrow, and the three the next - until one day we see the "firmness" of our convictions eroded by the wear of sin's compromises!

This is what our writer might have been trying to tell us when he says not to use our standing of "grace" to allow us to continue to toy with sin.  We cannot live so close to the edge of compromise in our lives that others constantly see us putting one foot over the line, just a little bit outside of how we say we want to or should live our lives.  In those moments, we are allowing the foolishness to take over - all the while forgetting God is working within to help "fix stupid" in our lives!  We usually don't plan well for compromise - this is where we can ask God to help.  We need the wisdom of planning to assist us in avoiding the actions which result in us taking steps in the wrong direction.  It is more than someone watching which should keep us walking upright, but this realization sure does give us a moment to think about our actions, doesn't it?  If we were to be transparent here, we might just need the extra "oomph" of knowing someone is watching to keep us from putting the first toe over the edge! 

You and I may not be able to "fix stupid" in others - but we can model how foolishness is worked OUT of our lives by the leading of the Holy Spirit and the teaching of the Word of God applied.  We can "fix stupid" in us - when we submit in obedience to the "niggling" of our conscience which warns us before doing something foolish or damaging.  This is what we "can" control - in turn, we are not "controlling" others, but we are giving them a positive example by which to know there is hope for their own foolishness!  Just sayin!

You a freshly painted, shiny-signed storehouse?

To scorn wisdom is to cut short your days.  How many of us really want to cut our days short?  Most of us actually hope we will find some way to add another hour to the day, day to the week, or years to our lives!  We just don’t have the time to get everything done we hoped to accomplish.  We can become so distracted by the things which promise us gain, influence, status, or value in life that we miss the true things that will.  The promise of God is that he will not let the godly starve - it doesn't say if the godly work themselves to the bone, tire themselves out in the efforts they exert, etc.  It simply says God won't starve the honest soul.  He even will satisfy the cravings of our soul - the fulfillment of those cravings may be with something quite different than we'd pursue on our own.  Left to our own devices, we'd likely pursue the stuff which falls "just short" of what God intends for us. They are "good", but they aren't "great".

God won’t starve an honest soul, but he frustrates the appetites of the wicked. (Proverbs 10:3 MSG)

Did you realize an "appetite" is anything for which you have developed a fondness?  Now, read that passage again - God won't fulfill everything we are "fond" of especially when the "fondness" we have will harm us!  The things we "like" may not always be the things which will produce the best results in our lives.  For example, I am fond of spending the evening reclining on the sofa, but the meals I'd choose if I came right home and just plopped down on the couch would be less nourishing and contribute to an unhealthy lifestyle.  I would find myself indulging in far too much take out or delivery.  So, before I do something I am fond of, I run it through my "Good" or "Best" filter.  It may be good, but it may not always be best.  When I "filter" my choices this way, I find I make a whole lot more meals from scratch, enjoy them with mom, clean up the kitchen, THEN veg a little on the couch!  Maybe I could add a walk in after the meal and I would move from "good" to "great" in my choices, but I am getting there!

One thing for sure, we need to learn to take advantage of our "window of opportunity".  There is far too little time spent focusing on the opportunities right in front of us.  We tend to focus on the stuff in the "future", totally missing what exists right in front of us.  Maybe this is why the writer of this proverb also penned these words:  Make hay while the sun shines—that’s smart; go fishing during harvest—that’s stupid. (vs. 5 MSG)  A wise person works while it is the season to work - knowing the harvest needs to be brought in.  The season can pass, opportunities brush right past you, if you are not paying attention.  The opportunities which matter most are usually those which don't scream the loudest, cost us a little more of ourselves, and seem a little bit less likely to provide us the "immediate" reward.  The harvest takes time - but knowing what to plant, when it is the season to harvest, and what will fill our storehouses with the best stuff is not a skill possessed by the unwise!

If you have ever been around a fool for a while, you will notice one thing which seems to be the "tell-tale" sign of their foolishness - their need to "cover up" their bumbling.  The fool chooses to fish - hoping no one will notice the storehouse has no real "reserve" in it because he neither invested the time, nor the energy in the harvest.  So, he paints the storehouse, even trims it with a shiny sign indicating it is the storehouse, but on the inside - nothing! The wise embrace instruction - allowing it to affect the things they develop a fondness toward.  The fool resists instruction - allowing their own appetites to allow them to miss opportunities to be filled to overflowing.  People of integrity have a firm footing - they have chosen the best path.  The fool slips and slides their way through life because they have no soundness of footing. 

As we return to our passage, we see it is God who is frustrating the appetites of the fool.  Does this surprise you?  Wouldn't you think the fool is responsible for the frustration he feels?  He is in every sense of the word, but we need to see the love of our heavenly Father in actually intervening to "frustrate" the fool's appetites - the things which he develops an affinity toward, but which will leave him empty and wanting in times of leanness.  By frustrating the fool's appetites, he is seeking to expose the emptiness of his freshly painted, shiny signed storehouse!  He doesn't do this to demean the fool, but to redeem him!  If God can intervene in the midst of our foolishness, he can save us from a whole lot of things we will just bumble through trying to cover up in the end!  

An honest soul - what does this mean?  I believe God just wants us to be transparent with him and others.  The fool has trouble with this because if he were to open the storehouse doors, everyone would see exactly how empty it is on the inside!  An honest soul doesn't keep the doors tightly shut - he may not have a "full" storehouse yet, but at least he is honest about what he has. This is all God asks of us - be honest with him and others.  Don't make excuses for your choices which might have left you lacking a little, but confess them, seek God's help to set those choices right, and allow him to begin to fill your storehouse to the max.  The wise also know there are times when the storehouse needs a good "sweeping out".  In other words, they know before harvest can be brought in, the "chaff" from the "last season" has to be swept out.  In preparing to receive, we are also revealing what it is we are focusing on receiving.  There is a clarifying of our motives which comes in preparing for the harvest God will bring when the fondness of our heart is directed toward his "infilling".  Just sayin!