Don’t Be A Fool

by Micky Galloway

One of the most difficult things for me is to see folks making foolish decisions, decisions that I know are going to afflict them with severe consequences. If we could always see the end from the beginning, we would not make these foolish decisions. Someone has said that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” If we make wise decisions, we can escape many severe consequences. The Greek word translated “fool” (moros) primarily denotes “dull, sluggish” (from a root muh, “to be silly”); hence, “stupid, foolish”; it is used of persons in Matthew 5:22, “Thou fool”; here the word means morally worthless, a scoundrel, a more serious reproach than “Raca”; the latter scorns a man's mind and calls him stupid; “moros” scorns his heart and character; hence the Lord's more severe condemnation (from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c)1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers).

The word “fool,” however, is not always so used. The Bible itself calls certain people a “fool,” suggesting that they are deficient in judgment, unwise, acting foolishly. It is the opposite of being wise. Any person who fits into one of these categories is truly a fool. Let us turn through the Bible and observe the kind of people whom the Lord calls a “fool.”

Those who will not listen. “The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge; (But) the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.” “Speak not in the hearing of a fool; For he will despise the wisdom of thy words.” “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And scoffers delight them in scoffing, And fools hate knowledge?” “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes; But he that is wise hearkeneth unto counsel.” “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool” (Proverbs 1:7; 23:9; 1:22; 12:15; 28:26). Some make the mistake of following the advice of fools. Rehoboam made this mistake (I Kings 12:6-15). The wise man is one who is willing to listen to wise men; the fool will not.

Those who will not heed warnings. “A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil; But the fool beareth himself insolently, and is confident.” “A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; But the simple pass on, and suffer for it.” “The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul; But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.” “It is as sport to a fool to do wickedness; And (so is) wisdom to a man of understanding.” “As a dog that returneth to his vomit, (So is) a fool that repeateth his folly” (Proverbs 14:16; 22:3; 13:19; 10:23; 26:11). Wise men heed warnings and learn from mistakes; fools do not.

Those who believe everything they hear. “The simple believeth every word; But the prudent man looketh well to his going” (Proverbs 14:15). Some believe everything they hear in religion, but they are wrong in doing so. Jesus as well as John warned about false prophets (cf Matthew 7:15; I John 4:1). Wise men “prove all things” (I Thessalonians 5:21). The wise investigate; fools do not.

Those who mock at sin. “A trespass-offering mocketh fools; But among the upright there is good will” (Proverbs 14:9). Jeremiah spoke of those who had stolen, lied and cheated as being without remorse or blushing (Jeremiah 8:12; 6:15). Sin is rebellion against God and it separates one from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). Yet, many treat it lightly. The wise man considers sin a serious thing, a matter of life or death; the fool does not.

Those who are contentious and get angry easily. “A fool's lips enter into contention, And his mouth calleth for stripes.” “Go into the presence of a foolish man, And thou shalt not perceive (in him) the lips of knowledge.” “A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; But a fool's vexation is heavier than they both.” “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools” (Proverbs 18:6; 14:7; 27:3; Ecclesiastes 7:9). A wise man is slow to wrath (James 1:18-21); the fool is not.

Those who talk too much. “A fool also multiplieth words: (yet) man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?” “The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.” “Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.” “For a dream cometh with a multitude of business, and a fool's voice with a multitude of words.” “In the multitude of words there wanteth not transgression; But he that refraineth his lips doeth wisely.” “A fool's mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul” (Ecclesiastes 10:14; 10:12; 5:2-3; Proverbs 10:19; 18:7). Our words can produce either good or evil, depending upon the heart from which they proceed (Matthew 12:35-37). The wise man is careful how he uses his tongue (James 3:5ff); the fool is not.

Those who say in their hearts that there is no God. “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God” (Psalms 14:1). The Gentile world before Christ demonstrated this truth (Romans 1:21-28). “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things” (verses 22-23). The wise man beholds the abundance of evidence declaring the glory of God; the fool will not.

Those who hear, but will not obey. “Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon the rock. And every one that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and smote upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall thereof” (Matthew 7:21-27). Jesus divides humanity into two classes, the wise and foolish. The wise man will hear and obey; the fool will not.

The Bible discusses many types of fools. It teaches that those who fail to make adequate preparation, who lay up treasures for themselves, but are not rich toward God, are fools (Matthew 25:1-13; Luke 12:16-21). What about you? We urge you to be wise and begin now to prepare to meet God now. Don’t be a fool.