Proverbs 14:15-17. 15The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps. 16One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless. 17A man of quick temper acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated.
There are many ways to be a fool.
Verse 15: A fool may be gullible. They believe everything. They are naïve. They don’t look into the claims of others and are generally followers by nature. In a worst case scenario, they are, as Paul warned the Ephesians, carried about by every wind of doctrine, by cunning and crafty false teachers.
Verse 16: A fool may also be arrogant. Reckless and careless. This fool is dismissive of warnings and charges into things without thinking of how they might harm others. He foolishly trusts his own discernment without getting any good advice from others. When trouble comes, she is quick to blame others and slow to reverse course, often doubling down on her rash decision.
Verse 17: A fool may be quick tempered. Angry. Seemingly incapable of controlling their reactions. They easily blow up, and they often lose their cool.
Verse 17: And worst of all, a fool may be evil. Full of wicked schemes. If people can just ignore the other fools, they cannot ignore this evil man, for he is actively working against others, and inciting their hatred of himself.
There seems to be a progression at work here. Can a person begin simple and gullible and potentially end up angry and evil? It would appear so. The admonition for us then is to discern where we are on this path of foolishness. Have you passed gullible and made it to careless? Have you digressed from careless to quick tempered? From quick tempered to devising evil plans?
The person in Christ is a very different kind of fool. A fool for Christ, the ultimate fool. A fool for the gospel, the ultimate foolishness.
1 Corinthians 1:27, 30. 27But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong…30And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
Does trusting the gospel make us gullible? Quite the opposite. It alone opens our eyes to every force of evil that exists in the universe.
Does trusting the gospel make us arrogant? May it never be. The gospel alone reminds us of just how broken and wicked we all truly are.
Does trusting the gospel makes us quick-tempered? In fact, it alone can cure us of all our self-righteous anger.
Does trusting the gospel make us evil? Only in the upside down world of the Devil. In God’s eyes only the gospel can remove evil from our hearts and replace it with love and righteousness.
You: Where are you on the fool’s path? Gullible? Careless? Angry? Scheming?
You in Christ: How does the foolishness of the cross replace our own selfish foolishness?
Christ in you: How can you replace your foolishness with the foolishness of the life of Christ? How does following Christ contrast with naiveté? With recklessness? With uncontrolled anger? With evil devices?
Pray: Father, I’d much rather be a fool for Christ than a fool trapped in my own agenda. Keep me focused on your Son and the foolishness of his cross today. Amen.
To Live is Christ 