The bible tells us that - Fools despise wisdom-
We last talked about "Where Wisdom Comes from" - and we found that the source of wisdom comes from ...
"The fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge....
Today I want to look at those who despise wisdom and why.
"But fools despise wisdom and discipline..."
What does “Fool” mean?
Many think it means someone who is acting silly or naively – someone acting in a way that is unaware of the possibility of being led into trouble.
However, the biblical term of “fool” is not about someone who is acting naïvely.
Psalm 14:1 says, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’
Fools willingly reject God’s wisdom with hatred. They choose not to fear the Lord. They ignore God’s advice and even when He disciplines them they refuse to walk in His wisdom and ways.
This may seem odd to some of you - yet for others - following an invisible God seems foolish.
Why do some believe it's foolish to believe in God?
One reason may be with "Intellectual questions"
I'm sure there have been times when you have had questions about God that maybe the answers you were given or not given left you feeling frustrated.
For many who aren't ready to trust God in those times, the lack of answers can easily turn them away from God.
Therefore having questions and not having satisfactory answers like, "If God is loving, why is there so much evil in the world?” or “Why would a good God send people to hell?” can lead them to decide believing in God is foolish.
There are other reasons many struggle with trusting in God - some struggle because they have an emotional disconnect with God. They have grown up in a very hostile environment at home, for others they have been hurt by the church in some way. There are studies that show that many who grow up without a father have a greater tendency to not trust in God.
No one has ever said that trusting God is easy - but the more one studies the life of Jesus and is willing to look at the God of the Bible and His steadfast faithfulness and goodness through the lives of His people historically - will find maybe trusting in Him is not so foolish.
Let's turn back to what God's word has to say and why God is worthy to be trusted and why it is foolish to not trust and follow Him and His ways.
Proverbs 1:20 tells us that
"Wisdom shouts in the streets…"
And continues with some really powerful questions for us -
"How long, you simpletons, will you insist on being simpleminded?
How long will you mockers relish your mocking?
How long will you fools hate knowledge?
When I read this - I read it through the lens of a desperate parent pleading with their child when they see them making destructive life choices and all they want is for them to stop living that way and to just come home so they can love them, care for them, so they can finally be safe and at peace in their parent's arms.
Verse 23 continues with this plea -
"Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise… 24 “I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention. 25 You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered. 26 So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you…
28 When they cry for help, I will not answer. Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me. 29 For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the Lord. 30 They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I corrected them. 31 Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes. 32 For simpletons turn away from me—to death. Fools are destroyed by their own complacency. 33 But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.”
Questions:
1. Who do fools rely on? Themselves. Foolish people do not realize - or care -that their hearts are sinful and yes-
even wicked (Jeremiah 17:9-“The heart is deceitful above all things..” ).
- As we will see in the book of Proverbs – and these next few verses – people simply enjoy their sin - and even
enjoy hurting others. Sadly – most people do not realize how dark their hearts are
- Can you think of time when you were hurt by someone else’s “foolish” living?
- Can you think of a time when you hurt someone by your foolish living?
In Matthew 7:24–27 Jesus tells us “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
- Because fools despise wisdom, they are on a path to destruction. What seems funny, entertaining, or right
or even ok to them will ultimately fail.
Only trusting in God and His wisdom will last as we will see in the following verses.
2. Where and what is Wisdom shouting? “How long, you simpletons (foolish), will you insist on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish your mocking? How long will you fools hate knowledge? 23 Come and listen to my counsel..”
- How long will we continue to push away God’s wisdom - Look at our world – there is destructive foolishness all around us.