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By Mike Chaffin
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good.” Psalm 53:1
Foolishness, a vice that pulls the trigger on so many other sins and failures. In our theme verse the chief foolishness is not believing in God. Being an atheist is foolishness. However, believing in God and not following His commands is almost as bad. As Samuel pointed out to Saul after he disobeyed God.
You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 1 Samuel 13:13
Behaving foolishly leads to bad decisions and sin and grave consequences. The devil moved David to take a census, something God said a king should never do. David knew this. However, his foolishness cost lives.
Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.” 1 Chronicles 21:8
Jesus taught many parables about the perils of foolishness. In Matthew 7 He paints the picture of a foolish man who doesn’t heed His instructions as a person who builds his house on the sand. Shifting sand allows the lightest storm to destroy a home.
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. Matthew 7:26
He also told the parable of the ten young ladies who were waiting for the groom to arrive to take them to the wedding.
Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. Matthew 5:22-23
Here, foolishness is being unprepared when the time comes. Their sin was one of procrastination. Although they knew the time was approaching when the groom would return, they did nothing to get ready. It was too late for them.
Jesus went on to tell a couple of his followers on the road to Emmaus they were foolish for not fervently believing the writings in the Old Testament about the Messiah.
Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” Luke 24:25-26
So many hearts broken, lives wrecked and homes destroyed because of foolishness. A vice we need to avoid.
Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to think before acting. Fill me with understanding instead of foolishness. Forgive me for any foolish acts I have committed. Restore in me a clean heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.
