Yea also, when he that
is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to
every one that he is a fool.
Ecclesiastes 10:3
We have all met our share of fools
and/or played the fool some time or another in our lives. The
critical fool comes to you with a lot of nonsense. The world is a
joke, your beliefs are a joke and anything that looks a little bit
funny, a fool is going to find a reason to laugh. When you are
serious, he tries to make a joke. When you are angry, the fool tries
to play you for a fool. If you aren’t too careful, you might start
acting like a fool.
As much as we desire to help people, we
must admit to ourselves that some people just can’t be helped.
Unless God himself comes down from heaven and touches some of these
people personally, they will remain fools.
Think of all the time you think you
might have wasted in your life trying to help a fool, just know that
God saw your efforts even if the fool didn’t appreciate or care
about what you did for him or her. Some fools criticize your efforts
not in a mean-spirited way, but in what they consider a playful way.
“I’m just kidding…you know I love everything you do for me…but
next time make me a sandwich, fluff my pillow and be sure my bath is
ready wifey.” Do you think this fool is serious? Maybe not. But
there is a lot said in a joke.
Fools have to keep their stand-up
routine fresh so they will talk about you to others, and even accuse
you of acting like a fool. Maybe at one time you were, a fool for
love. You may have believed that if you loved a certain foolish
partner enough, cared for him or her, and did everything they asked,
they would change, but even God himself had to remind you, “It just
isn’t in the plan, move on.” You may have continued doing for
the fool until one day you awoke to a harsh reality that you were an
even bigger fool for putting up with the fool’s nonsense for so
long!
Critical fools aren’t just hanging
out at the water cooler making fun of the boss or laughing at the
dinner table during the holidays, but fools show up when you least
expect it. Although they may appear nice and polite, they too, like
so many of the other critics described in this book, have another
side that isn’t so jovial.
In 1 Samuel 25, we read of Nabal, whose
name means fool. After David and his army watched over this man’s
servants, animals and property, he made a request for Nabal to be
favorable toward his men since they were going to be in his area
during a festive time; however, Nabal took offense and questioned who
was this David and assumed that these were servants breaking away
from their masters. Not only that, he didn’t want to share his
food and drink with them either despite their good deeds. David
received word about Nabal’s negative reaction to his request. He
felt like Nabal was paying him “evil for good,” according to the
scripture. Therefore, he was ready to kill the man and destroy
everything else that he had owned. However, the man’s wife Abigail
rushed to her husband’s defense. She saved him from David’s
wrath; however, days later God struck Nabal and he died.
From this story, it is clear that Nabal
did something that many of us have been guilty of jumping to
conclusions, assuming the worse, being controlling and overprotective
when there is no need to be. If Nabal had took the time to ask
further questions of his servants, observe the men, and talk with his
wife, his life may have been spared. Think of times when you may
have thought badly of someone only to later find out all your
suspicions were proven false?
The critical fool shuts
out wisdom and the people who deliver it.
Think of a student for a moment in any
classroom setting. When the individual attends classes he or she is
reading from text that someone else has written and hopefully
obtaining information that will help him or her perform a task in the
future. It is safe to assume that a wise student attending classes
is not only receiving the information he or she is reading, but the
individual is also questioning the text, finding additional ways to
use it, understanding the text, meeting with others about it, and
doing other things that could help the student grow in wisdom. Yet,
the fool, may glance at the text, pick out the parts he or she
disagrees with while ignoring the rest, and avoid talking to others
about it while simply treating the book as nothing more than leisure
reading to pass the time away.
Now as a believer, you are receiving
biblical information and applying it to your life, but some of you
will also teach, question, and use it to create additional materials
to help you and others. With all of your studying, you are growing in
wisdom.
Critics don’t want to do any of these
things unless somehow they can use the material to attack others
while elevating self. They aren’t interested in deep study. They
aren’t interested in discovering ways that they could become a
better student of the gospel.
I personally believe this same attitude
is what separates the good laymen and women of the gospel from the
bad ones. Some are too busy telling everyone else what to do, but
they aren’t interested in applying the Scriptures to their own
lives. Is it any wonder men and women aren’t getting saved and
living their lives for Christ in record numbers? Sometimes the
teachers distributing the material don’t understand enough about
their own walk to help someone else.
Critics know that in order for one to
be considered wise, he or she will have to read, write, meditate and
do other things that will sometimes conflict with his or her personal
habits. Some will fake knowledge while pretending to be concerned
about people. While others will claim they don’t understand what
is required of them, “I don’t know what you are talking about, I
can’t do it…that’s too difficult…I don’t have time,” some
might say. They may start recalling old stories of bad teachers from
the past that didn’t teach them anything or strict parents who
preached to them about everything. Although all of these reasons are
legitimate as to why a person may not want to pursue higher
education, learn more about God, or better themselves physically,
they shouldn’t keep others from growing in wisdom with their
negative talk.
Solution:
When the opportunity is there to study
the Bible, even if it means a chapter a day, that’s what believers
should do and then apply it to their daily living. For instance, someone is acting foolishly toward you and others, talk to this person away from public view. If need be, record a phone conversation only if you feel that the fool might cause future problems. Get straight to the point when talking to the fool. Don't laugh or joke with him or her when you know the message you are trying to convey is serious. Separate yourself from the fool when he or she continues to disrespect you.
The new believer, who might still act very much like a fool, is a work in progress,
and in time he or she will be presented with the opportunity to say
yes or no when it comes to accepting Jesus into his or her life. We
should never force anyone by scare tactics, pressure, material wealth
or any thing else to get them to accept the Christian faith.
However, we should periodically reread
the Bible verses that talk about the fool, so that we may be prepared
for them when they come along wanting to argue or manipulate the
scripture for their own selfish reasons. We must also keep in mind
that we too can easily look like a fool by disputing with a fool
while chasing after them with wisdom they are not ready to hear.
Just as people go to lawyers, doctors, and psychiatrists in time of
need, so too will they come to you as God directs.
A look back…
Someone may have told you to read the Bible, attend church, change your dress attire, and make other changes you weren’t ready to make; therefore, you made excuses, put up a fuss or simply told him or her, “No.” In time, you noticed some of the things you were doing in your life were foolish. Gradually, you decided to consider what a family member, friend or stranger had been telling you. As days or years passed, you made some adjustments, but most likely not on God’s messenger or advisers’ time watch.
Our responsibility is to drop the seeds
of wisdom in the sinner’s mind as God moves us, then trust that in
time those seeds will sprout and grow.
Proverbs 1:5
Proverbs 8:33
Proverbs 9:9
Proverbs 13: 9-10
Proverbs 18:15
Prayer
Lord, show me where I am going wrong in my ministering to the lost. I don’t want to put pressure on my brothers or sisters to make changes in their lives that they aren’t ready to make at this time. Tell me what it is that I should be saying and doing to cause them to draw nearer to you and move on their hearts and minds in Jesus name.
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