Proverbs reminds us that life is a journey and the end of it all is not just a place but a condition. Every day we are one step closer to who and where we will be for all of eternity.
“The end of our journey will reveal if we were truly wise or foolish.”
The way you live your life is a choice. Which brings us to our topic “The two types of fools”. There is:
The Foolish fool
The Wise Fool
The Foolish Fool
There is a difference between doing foolish things from time to time and being a fool. Are we humbled by our foolish mistakes, learn from them, and then turn from these ways? Or do we tend to downplay or justify our decisions and continue in the same foolish, destructive patterns?
Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his foolishness (Proverbs 26:11, AMP).
“Foolishness has everything to do with the inclination of the heart. ”
A wise man’s heart turns him toward the right [which is the way of blessing], but a fool’s heart turns him toward the left [which is the way of condemnation] (Ecclesiastes 10:2).
How do the Scriptures define a fool?
The Bible describes a fool as:
A thoughtless, careless person without understanding. A fool is thickheaded, stubborn, he or she doesn't listen, always thinks they know better, is never wrong and always has an excuse for their reckless actions.
What is the fool’s attitude?
Proverbs tell us that a fool’s attitude is one of complacency: It means they are satisfied with themselves, smug, especially when accompanied by an unawareness of the actual dangers of life or their personal deficiencies (Proverbs 1:32-33). They live in this counterfeit ease, only deceiving themselves.
They do not hate Jesus, they are just indifferent. But in the end - their own complacency will destroy them (Proverbs 1:32).
Proverbs 1:7 tells us that a fool despises wisdom and knowledge -
it means they think they are above knowledge and instruction, too smart for it, too busy for it and don't need it.
As a result, they are easily led astray because they stand for nothing but fall for everything (Proverbs 12:11).
How does the fool speak?
A fool's speech is destructive to others (Proverbs 11:9). He or she speaks before they listen and speaks more than they listen (Proverbs 12:5). Their destructive words spread like a disease (2 Timothy 2:16-17).
How does the fool act?
Proverbs tells us that a fool is someone who disregards God’s Words and warnings but clings tenaciously to their own foolishness (Proverbs 27:22). They are hot-headed, always losing their temper and displaying their anger (Proverbs 29:11).
The fool has no fear of God, the most powerful Being in the universe, who holds the power of life and death over all creation.
We see the height of a fool’s foolishness in Psalm 14:1: A fool says in their heart - there is no God. The direct Hebrew translation is: “there is no god for me.”
This is why the writer of Proverbs cautions us about not hanging around foolish people because we might learn their ways (Proverbs 14:7).
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm (Proverbs 13:20).
The foolishness of man undermines his way [ruining whatever he undertakes]; Then his heart is resentful and rages against the Lord [for, being a fool, he blames the Lord instead of himself] (Proverbs 19:3, AMP).
How do you respond to a fool?
We are encouraged
“not to answer a fool according to his or her folly,”
or else we will be like them (Proverbs 26:4). We are to be wise, not in an arrogant way, so that when the fool hears our response it strikes deeper, thus making the fool see his or her folly.
Lastly, what is a fool’s outcome?
The end of the journey for the person who refuses to forsake their foolishness is harm, ruin and impending disaster (Proverbs 13:20, 19:3).
The Wise Fool
The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”
20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish.
21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.
22 It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom.
23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.
24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18-24, NLT).
What is the message of the cross?
Christ was the only One with the power to save people and to reconcile them back to God.
The cross speaks about the sinfulness of the world, their separation from God, the greatest sacrifice ever made, and the only way to salvation.
The question Paul poses to the Greeks and the Jews in this passage is: what type of knowledge or worldview made you wise concerning God? Which philosophy can change the heart of mankind?
This type of wisdom is foolishness to God. Paul said Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise (1 Corinthians 3:18).
The wise fool recognizes that the gospel is not just another philosophy, is not simply good advice, nor is it merely good news about God’s power. The gospel message is God’s power to those who believe.
It is the power of God to save, to change, to direct, heal, comfort, to convict, cleanse, encourage, and equip us for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16).
The gospel influences every part of life, our decisions, our priorities and most importantly where we spend eternity.
The fool who has placed their total trust in Christ’s work on the cross for their eternal salvation and for their daily needs is the wise fool - a fool for Christ (1 Corinthians 4:10).
“When you follow Christ there will always be a price to pay.”
You may be laughed at, misunderstood, mocked, and made fun of for believing and living the way you do. But if you follow the way of the foolish fool there will be a significantly greater price to pay.
The wise fool recognizes that danger, they recognize their own spiritual condition before God, and their absolute need for Christ, and makes the wisest decision of their life. Unfortunately, the foolish fool sees the same danger but keeps on going to their own detriment (Proverbs 27:12).
