What a Fool!

At some point, most people have wished they were smarter. Some have been embarrassed by a lack of knowledge. They feel foolish. But what does it mean to be a fool?

The Mirriam-Webster dictionary defines a fool as "a person who lacks good sense or judgment: a stupid or silly person."

No one wants to be thought a fool. In fact, there are a lot of scriptures warning against being a fool!

What does the Bible say about fools?

Proverbs 26:1 - Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool.

Job 5:2 - Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.

Psalm 14:1 - The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.

Psalm 49:10 - For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and senseless all perish, leaving their wealth to others.

Psalm 74:18-19 - Remember how the enemy has mocked you, Lord, how foolish people have reviled your name. Do not hand over the life of your dove to wile beasts; do not forget the lives of your afflicted people forever.

Psalm 74:22 - Rise up, O God, and defend your cause; remember how fools mock you all day long.

Psalm 92:6-8 - Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever. But you, Lord, are forever exalted.

Proverbs 1:7 - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 1:22 - "How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?"

Proverbs 1:32 - For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them;

Proverbs 10:8 - The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.

Proverbs 10:14 - The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.

So, we can see from these verses that a fool (according to the Bible) does these things: 

• says God is not real
• speaks in a way that gets them into trouble
• is complacent
• hates knowledge and instruction
• does not understand, even if they are instructed

I think that sums it up. A part of me would love to tell where I got the idea to search for the word fool in the Bible, but "the mouth of a fool invites ruin," and I do not want to be a fool. I think Proverbs 10:14 was my favorite of all those verses.

So, basically I think these are saying that if we don't want to be fools, we have to learn from, and store up knowledge about God and His Word, and guard our mouths and our actions.

I really like the Proverbs. A lot! I'm thinking that soon I may try to do posts on each Proverb. I had trouble reading straight through them chapter-by-chapter, so I think I may just read one proverb a day, and see if it inspires me to do a post. Something for me to think about.