Denied
None of us see ourselves as a fool, but we sure see foolishness in others. It’s the last thing you would want anyone to say to you. So if we are wondering what others see in us that maybe we can’t see, what do you think God sees in us? Look at it from a real life perspective …
Defined
–noun
1. a silly or stupid person; a person who lacks judgment or sense.
2. a professional jester, formerly kept by a person of royal or noble rank for amusement: the court fool.
3. a person who has been tricked or deceived into appearing or acting silly or stupid: to make a fool of someone.
4. an ardent enthusiast who cannot resist an opportunity to indulge an enthusiasm (usually preceded by a present participle): He's just a dancing fool.
5. a weak-minded or idiotic person.
Described
We may think fools are what other people are, but measured by God’s standards in the Bible we may be surprised about ourselves:
Proverbs 10:18 18 Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool. | Proverbs 12:1515 The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice. |
Proverbs 14:16 16 The wise fear the LORD and shun evil, but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure. | Proverbs 15:5 5 A fool spurns a parent’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence. |
Proverbs 18:2 2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. | Proverbs 19:1 1 Better the poor whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse. |
Proverbs 29:1111 Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end. | Psalm 14:1 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. |
Declared
Rich young Ruler
14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Luke 12:14-21 (New International Version, ©2011)
This is NO Joke!
