I've spent a lot of time over the last couple of years reading Proverbs to my kids. I also listen to a lot of Dave Ramsey and Andy Stanley, both of whom often teach from Proverbs, so the theme of wisdom vs. foolishness has been on my mind continually.
The Bible is a pretty thick book. It could probably be boiled down to John 3:16, but by the Providence of God it also contains lessons to help us through this temporal world. Even beyond the Proverbs, just about every Bible story has a wisdom vs. foolishness lesson. It seems to me, in our 2013 world, that there are lots of folks who love the Gospel message, but eschew the wisdom that is there for the taking. Wisdom that if it is sought after and acted upon, can result in blessing.
Of late, I've tried to avoid the hot button issues of our day here on TOTP, (which has contributed to my infrequent posting this year) but regardless of your political persuasion or emotional investment in certain issues there are wise and foolish paths to choose. All to often I've seen foolish choices dressed up and labeled with love, compassion, fairness, or righteousness and seen wise choices ridiculed as hateful, intolerant, too liberal, or too conservative.
Is it sinful to be a fool? No, I don't think so, but I do believe that whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.
"I have the right to do anything," you say- but not everything is beneficial. I have the right to do everything, but I will not be mastered by anything. - I Corinthians 6:12
I can't help but think how it much it must grieve our heavenly Father when we choose foolishness over wisdom, curses over blessing. Jesus came and died for me even though I'm a moron. I've played the fool. I've made foolish choices. I've been blind to wisdom, listened to foolish advice, acted on foolish desires. But He came to redeem me and wants me to be transformed by the continual renewing of my mind. I want to seek wisdom and I want to plant the seeds of wisdom in the hearts of my children.
I'd like to challenge you to read through the Proverbs. There are 31 chapters so you can read one for each day of the month. Keep in mind what you've read as you live your day to day, read the paper, or watch the news.
