Know a Fool?

I have confronted fools, participated in conversations with them, and have been used and abused by them. You can't win a confrontation with a foolish person even if you consider them a best buddy or someone you might even die for.  Fools will always be fools unless they allow God to take hold over their minds, bodies and spirits and even then there is still much work they will need to do to stop entertaining people in ungodly ways.

Here are some things to consider when dealing with foolish (stupid, crazy-making, silly) people:

1.  Don't further entertain them with any conversation that sounds righteous.  Fools have the mindset to change anything they deem serious into a joke.  They feed off of attention--give them none when you know full well what is on your mind is not a laughing matter.  Until they stop fooling around, keep your wisdom to yourself.

2.  Fools are not usually good partners, leaders, workers, friends, sons, daughters, etc.  Many silly people are selfish.  They have trained themselves to get attention from others by any means necessary including: insulting, acting threatening, pranking, etc.  Then when they aren't well-received by others, they accuse people of having no sense of humor, acting too serious, or "that person is mean" and what are they when fools name-call or bad mouth others?

3.  When you encounter a fool, be polite, but don't invite him or her into your home whenever possible.  People like this seek information to go back and share with others.  If you have something that you care about at home or you do certain things that you wouldn't want to get out, don't let a fool show up and siphon material from observation for his or her next act.  Folks forget just how private their home life is and don't mind letting anyone and everyone in--bad move!

4.   Foolish people are typically depressed, have mental illness or personality disorders.

Unfortunately, people are laughing at foolish people not realizing why they are so ridiculous, funny, or ignorant.  Many troubled minds are that way due to harsh upbringings, past or current substance addictions, and mental challenges.  What you see in public, isn't always what you get at home with these people.  "She is so funny," says a fool's admirer.  "Yeah, but she's also weird--very weird (you don't know her at home), just be careful with that fool!" says the discerning observer.

5.  Consider this, fools are not children of light.

As much as you would like to think that your favorite person is one of God's chosen, this is usually not the case if he or she demonstrates a long list of unfruitful and sinful behavior.  So think twice before you say that you know someone is going to heaven or "I know him/her very well..." just because he or she told some good jokes and made people laugh or you spent some time with a foolish person, doesn't mean that he or she is all that "fun, great, sweet" away from you.

God is a righteous god not an immoral one or naive one.  Know who fools are serving.

Nicholl McGuire is the author of Know Your Enemy the Christian's Critic as well as many other nonfiction books.