HOW CAN YOU SPOT A FOOL?

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.

Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense and show everyone how stupid they are.

Ecclesiastes 10:1-3

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

We see, hear, and read about people all the time in life and what we see, hear, or read sometimes tells us a lot about someone.

So how can we identify a fool when we’re forming an opinion of another based on what we know?

Well, we can have our own ideas but the scriptures give us some traits that will help us in our estimation. In particular, we have these three opening verses from Ecclesiastes, Chapter 10. Look at them again now as we find three ways to easily spot a fool:

1. Foolish behavior always will trump the good things someone does.

As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

Recently, a senior enlisted leader in the Navy was relieved from their duties because of an illicit relationship with a subordinate. The story and the person’s picture were in the newspaper for thousands upon thousands to read about and see.

Now, this person’s career up to the time of their impropriety was stellar. The senior enlisted leadership role he held was so distinct that less than one percent of the Navy ever climbed the ladder that high to reach it. In other words, one had to serve with great honor and wisdom to make it to the top.

Unfortunately, all this leader will be remembered for now will be the foolish, dishonorable act they committed. Like dead flies in perfume, so was the serious violation on this leader’s record.

Friends, the same can happen to any of us if we drop our guard in life and allow sin to enter in and influence us. It only takes one transgression to wipe out a good reputation, only one iniquity to stamp someone as a fool, no matter how honorable and wise they were before.

2. Foolish behavior will always take one in a direction away from the Lord.

The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.

3. Foolish behavior comes out in any and all circumstances.

Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense and show everyone how stupid they are.

What could be simpler than walking along a road somewhere? Surely a person could act properly in those circumstances but not a fool. God’s word is clear here. Even a fool will show they lack sense and are stupid in those circumstances. Perhaps they walk too closely to the edge of the road where they might be hit. Or maybe they just decide to walk on the road where vehicles may travel. Not smart.

Whatever the case, the point here is that a fool is a fool no matter where they are and don’t waste opportunities to show their idiocy to others.

So what are we to make of this word from the Lord today?

We need to always ensure we are staying connected to His wisdom through His word and His Spirit. It’s the only way that we won’t be seen as a fool by others for the ways of the Lord are never folly but rather rich in purpose.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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