The Foolishness of Fools Prov. 14: 24 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

Every child starts out from childhood with a fair amount of foolishness in him [Prov 22:15].  The Lord gives parents instruction on how to deal with their foolishness.  The idea is to drive this foolishness away from them so that they learn to respect and obey God-given authority.  From these authorities, the Lord [Prov 2:6], their parents [Prov 4:1-4], the Bible [Prov 22:17-21], their pastor [1 Pet 5:1-2], and godly teachers [Prov 5:12-13] they learn wisdom.  As they grow up, they should put away childish things [1 Cor 13:11] and walk in truth [3 John 4].

However, there are some things that reinforce their foolishness: foolish friends [Prov 13:20]; foolish professors [Rom 1:21-22]; foolish women [Prov 9:13-18]; foolish media [Prov 15:14].  We can help them by helping them to choose wise friends, by pointing out the foolishness of foolish professors, by steering them away from foolish women and by limiting their exposure to foolish media.  

There’s hope for a young fool if he will follow Prov 9:6. In order to be wise, he must “forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.”  He needs to be of an understanding heart [Prov 8:5-9], he needs to walk with wise men [Prov 13:20]; he needs to hear counsel, and receive instruction [Prov 19:20]; he needs to read, believe and walk in God’s words [Prov 2:1-9]; and he needs to fear God [Prov 9:10].

If he doesn’t forsake the foolish, he will grow up to be a fool.  You know when a person is a fool by just listening to him or her talk [Prov 12:23; 15:2].  If what he says doesn’t “line up with” the truth of the Bible, you know you are dealing with a fool.  For example, most of what is published regarding climate, nutrition, and the origin of the universe is foolishness.  The Bible, on the other hand, tells you the absolute truth about all three of these. 

There is hope for a fool only if he will turn at the Lord’s reproof [Prov 1:22-23].  But you have to be careful to follow what the Lord says when you’re dealing with him.  If he’s a scorner, he’ll shame you, hit you and hate you [Prov 9:7-8].  If he hasn’t turned after the first and second admonition, reject him [Titus 3:10].  If you keep dealing with him, you’re going to end up just like him [Prov 26:4].  Look how the Lord intends to deal with him [Prov 1:22-33]. He just laughs at him, which is tragic, but its the only thing he can do.  Once that foolishness is set in him, its not coming out [Prov 27:22].

If you’re a fool, turn at the reproof of the Lord and believe and follow his words.  If you’re raising a fool, go to work the Biblical way to curtail his foolishness and guide him toward wisdom.  If you’re dealing with a fool, be very careful.  You could be wasting very valuable time.