Tag: Fool

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The two sides of every story.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Only simpletons believe everything they’re told! The prudent carefully consider their steps.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭14‬:‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Ah the tale of the pethi and the prudent. “Pethiy” is one of the Hebrew words for the simple, the fool. The second most often used word for “fool.” It is used 15 times in Proverbs and represents the silly, seducible or simple.

I feel I play this role far too often when it comes to hearing people share their story … er, their truth. I believe people. I believe in people. I want to believe everything they tell me, because I want to like them and get to know them. Maybe that makes me gullible? Maybe even susceptible to gossip with its dainty morsels of truth wrapped in unsavory untruths.

The colloquial sayings are helpful for me. Like, “there are two sides to every coin,” or “two sides to every story.” Being very relational, I easily get caught up in one person’s version of a truth, a position or story. And, admittedly, I believe it wholeheartedly. Until, I hear the other person’s version and realize the truth is blurry and they definitively do not match! Yes, of course, this mostly happens in disagreements or conflicts, between couples or friends. You know what’s hard? You realize there’s truth in BOTH stories, hidden in there somewhere in the middle.

Prudence, defined as shrewd, crafty sensibility, says that I need both sides of a story, or an opinion of a situation to find out what really happened. I’m sure the wisdom writers intent and application of this proverb are not at all about refereeing or conflict management, but it is helpful for me to sort out being wise or playing the fool.

The proverb is likely instructing those who blunder forward in naive believability without the cautious steps of decision-making. But remember, the general rules of fools and “seduction” still apply. Definitely remember the point of this proverb – beware of slick sales techniques and skipping steps to lazily take the shortcut to any idea or project.

But, in relationship management, I must remember the side benefit of this wisdom principle as well, get two sides of a story before making a judgment or decision. And, I also discovered this caveat in relational squabbles, “the first one to spin the story has the advantage, but it’s not always the whole truth!”

Prayer

Dad,
This whole discussion on foolishness and wisdom has me reflecting on Psalm 139:14, “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.” I love that you have made us incalculably and extraordinarily distinct from each other and anything else in your creation. However, I also have to constantly admit, we are quite a mysterious piece of work. I marvel at the levels of complexity that our sin has introduced into such a masterpiece. The Psalmist declare how marvelous we are and “how well he knows it.” I don’t think we know ourselves well at all! We need your wisdom. We need your constant guidance and exquisite mercy on this journey through life. I love the idea that your thoughts and ways are far above our own! But I am continuously baffled by the fact that we can’t quite figure our own thoughts and ways! To know you and to be known by you is our only hope! God, help us 🥴.

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Good Guilt

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Fools make fun of guilt, but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation.” Proverbs‬ ‭14‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This is a tricky one to translate no matter what version of the Bible you use. The Hebrew words and phrases are deeply embedded in cultural and have nuanced ways of using words in context. Not to get too deep in Hebrew here, because I am a complete novice at this. However, many of the tools to study the Bible are super useful.

There are a few fascinating words used in this text. One is the word, translated in NLT as guilt is the word, asham: offense, guilt. Strong’s concordance straight out translates this as the word “sin,” because it is often used in that way.

Keeping that in mind, the other word is translated as fools but the actual Hebrew word is evil: אֱוִיל. Hold on. That’s not our word evil, it’s a Hebrew word meaning a fool. There are four different words for the word fool in Proverbs and this one is used 19 times. It means to be perverse; (fig.) silly. This person (perverse fool) mocks or scorns guilt, offense or sin, believing it to be useless.

Do you know anyone who has convinced themselves they should not feel guilty for anything because they declare any sense of wrong to be a false moral construct. They believe guilt or sin is a made up, social restraint! This ancient text, the Bible, God’s wisdom, disagrees and WARNS the fool about it. But the upright do not mock guilt they see it as the Hebrew word “ratson,” or “favorable and accept it.” I love the fact that the New Living Translation translates “ratson” into the phrase, “seek reconciliation,” as this idea of favorable acceptance.

We are in a cultural crisis of passive/aggressive behavioral patterns in our relationships and work hard to completely AVOID any perceived confrontation or conflict. This is whether we caused it or were the recipient of it! We are all avoiding reconciliation! We’ve allowed many of our relationships, deep or shallow to become soured and embittered, littered with blame and ghosting.

We are, in fact, playing the Biblical fool by ignoring wisdom’s life giving advice. Wisdom tells me to embrace the offense or guilt, favorably accepting it because, for one, it’s shredding our ability to form and keep healthy relationships. Have I offended or hurt someone? I should own it and say I’M SORRY, and ask for forgiveness. Has someone offended or hurt me? I should see it as an opportunity to value the friendship enough to tell them it hurt! That is still a form of favorably accepting their offense and seeking reconciliation. The aim is to repair, not ignore, to love, not run away.

Love demands that we promptly and maturely handle each other as Christ handles us! God’s wisdom works every time. I need to quit playing the fool, whether it’s my hurtful words towards someone or my bruised ego because of what others said. I want to be godly, to reconcile and restore those relationships I value so much.

Prayer

Dad,
Your Word is truly a lamp for my feet and a light on the path to wisdom and life itself. I am so thankful that you cut through the nonsense of my thinking to confront the brutal facts, the radical candor of how life works. You have designed this life to be experienced in all beauty and wonder and yet I still attempt to manipulate the rules to suit myself. I am humbled by Proverbs and hope to fulfill its intent to make me wise and not play the fool.

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Things Christians don’t obey.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

““You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬-‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus preached his signature sermon and brought up a whole slew of hearsay of things his audience had heard through the grapevine. Jesus said, “our ancestors were told.” Yep, God told their ancestors (ours by adoption) that #6 on the list of God no-no’s was MURDER. Thou shalt not.

Then Jesus redefines what murder may look like from the hidden, recesses of our heart. Oooo, it looks a lot like anger and hatred! It looks like a caldron of hot, stinky thoughts ruminating around in our head. Maybe under our breath or whispered to a friend we might say, they are an Idiot.

I know it’s a word that’s been cancelled as a demeaning, derogatory term, but believe me Jesus word, rhaka, is so much worse. The word “fool” used here means an empty-headed, numbskull, good for nothing, who acts presumptuously and thoughtlessly. It’s more than the Proverbs word, “keciyl,” which is a slow, silly, careless fool. It’s more like “pethiy,” a person incapable of learning, thus continuing to fail themselves and others. Jesus says that kind of name calling can get you hauled into the court of the Sanhedrim (Hebrew elder board). But actually cursing someone out of anger can cause you to start wearing the cologne of hell, smelling like putrid smoke!

Jesus pulls back the dark curtain of our thoughts, intentions and attitudes to reveal the nasty stuff inside us when our anger is not righteous, but petty and self serving. Then Jesus makes a stunning conclusion. When our anger rages to the point of unbridled hatred towards someone, we’ve murdered them in our heart. Don’t tell me you haven’t wished someone dead! Jesus told them, and us, when that happens you’ve got to take drastic measures to be reconciled to the person your aiming your heart-hatred at.

It’s so important, so critical, Jesus says, that you have to LEAVE your gift, your praise, your sacrifice, your sweet one on one with God to take care of business! Then with a clear, non-murderous heart we can come back to God and give our gift.

Do we do this? No. Do we practice this? No. Do we believe this to be true? No. We don’t disrupt our time with God to make things right between each other. Why? Because it’s hard. It’s painful. It’s humiliating. To reconcile is an admittance of our guilt, our humanness. Our justifications sound like toddlers fighting on the playground, “well he started it!” Can you even imagine all our murderous thoughts and attitudes of all the people who have offended us, wronged us or embarrassed us? And we bring all that trash before a holy God while we pull out our little gift of praise or sacrifice?

Jesus said, LEAVE God’s presence and make things right with our fellow humans that have hurt us! And don’t even think about whining, complaining or tattling on someone before God. He won’t listen. Go make it right. Do the hard job as Jesus commanded. Quit messing around with years of stacked and stuffed anger, frustration and death threats towards others. Make amends.

“But there are so many,” you say. “What should I do then?” Ask the Holy Spirit to bring up the worst and most egregious, the one that darkens your soul and consumes a massive amount of your time just thinking about how MUCH you hate that person. This is such a powerful, yet IGNORED practice. I am convicted just reading this and have to deal with one of those reconciliations today!

Prayer

Dad,
Help me be brave and obey your word! Help me to humble myself and make things right with the person you have brought to mind as I write this. Forgive me for the delay. Amen.

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Answering to ultimate power

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies! Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord? You are entirely faithful. You rule the oceans. You subdue their storm-tossed waves. You crushed the great sea monster. You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours; everything in the world is yours—you created it all.” Psalms‬ ‭89‬:‭8‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Psalmist writes these broad strokes of power and huge overarching themes of ultimate control over all things – heaven and earth. This Psalm is written while Israel is parked in a 70 year timeout under Babylon’s rule. Daniel is the main character during this time, and even though he could have written this tribute to God it’s more likely that Ezra, the scribe wrote it.

I live close enough to the Pacific Ocean to enjoy parking along the cliffs of Big Corona and sitting on benches overlooking the expansive sea. It is breathtaking to watch the waves constantly, consistently crash on the shore and the reflective sunlight to dance on the endless vista to the horizon.

The ocean is so vast it’s intimidating. Every seaman story tells of its dangerous and untamable nature. No serious captain or crew underestimate its power and often merciless mysteries. That is why it so poetically appropriate for the Psalmist to declare God’s strength and dominion over the waters that cover 71 percent of the Earth’s surface and hold about 96 percent of all Earth’s water. As humans we all basically live on an island!

The Psalm says, “You rule the oceans.” I am impressed with God’s power, we all should be. All heavens and earth are His. How can God, with this much power not only be concerned but involved and in love with US? How can God with this much power and control not be feared, respected and obeyed? How can this mighty, ocean-ruling God put up with so many who mock, profane and arrogantly ignore Him as creator of all things? It’s shockingly unbelievable! Why doesn’t God just instantly zap every mouthy, foul fool into oblivion?

Because He made us, and has determined to love us. His enduring mercy and patience is utterly, unconditionally FOR us! However, time, like all created things, has an end. There will come a time when everything wraps up and concludes this existence. Every human is given time and every opportunity possible to remind us of God’s existence and His plan for our redemption, our rescue. Many have decided, with full recognition of God’s plan, to go at life and eternity their own way – which we know is simply death, then the moment of accountability. If you have rejected THE most powerful and most loving force in the universe? God will ask why and you will answer.

Prayer

Dad,
When I stand on the shores of the Pacific Ocean and look out to the unending vastness of the sea, I feel so feebly small. I also get just how powerful and as the Psalmist wrote, MIGHTY you really are. You tame the tides and control the storms, yet with our human hearts your greatest power is not force or constraint, but love and freedom. I am overwhelmed, undone, as Isaiah wrote, with your mercy. I will recognize your power and submit to your everlasting love.

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Riddle me this young Padawan.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair. These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young. Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Proverbs was written, likely as a school course for young men (according to Tim Keller). You just can’t get any clearer about the purpose of the book, the collection of the wise and their riddles. To teach people to live disciplined and successful lives.

Who doesn’t WANT discipline and success? Well, Proverbs also helps us with that answer in later chapters. We find it is the either the FOOL or the REBELLIOUS.

The rebellious is obvious. Throwing off constraints, doing what they think is right and ultimately whatever they want to do. They learn through bloody noses, broken bones and lots of trouble with parents and authorities. They feel invincible and indestructible, yet they tend to damage everything around them. What’s the greatest excuse the rebel uses later after burning down everything around them? Why didn’t someone stop me? Uh, because you wouldn’t listen.

The first group, the fool, is trickier. There are purposeful, malicious fools and the thick-headed, bumbling ones who can’t figure out why they have no real friends.

Proverbs is written to help people who want wisdom, to find it. And by warnings, to try to keep people from being the rebel or the fool, knowing they will not listen or heed any advice. The wise person admits they do not know and want to learn, the rebel cares about nothing but themself and the fool is sadly stuck in a loop for life.

Proverbs isn’t a casual read, one-and-done experience. It was written to be explored, held in tension and to experiment with the process. You read a Proverb like 16:9 when you’re young, then mediate on it in your 30’s, 40’s and beyond. “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Like I’ve written before, I read one entire chapter of Proverbs every single day when I was 16 years old and did so until my 20’s. I determined to LIVE my life based on Proverbs 16:9.

I memorized verses, I learned that if I got wisdom it was the only way it would make up for my shyness and social awkwardness. When I started Proverbs I just wanted to be normal, by the time I was 20, I discovered that normal was overrated and boring. Actually, because of Proverbs I just wanted to be who God created me to be! I was differentiating from what the fakes and fads were trying to pull off while trying impress others. I would be stubbornly obedient to God, opposite of resolutely rebellious. I would run towards God not from Him. I would seek to cause good trouble, not backing down from a challenge. I would not ignore bad behaviors or choices of friends when I deeply loved them, even risking their friendship to tell them the truth. Remember, “better the wounds of a friend?” (27:6).

Proverbs sharpened my social skills and gave me an edge of godly perspective when life was challenging. Proverbs even gave me kind of sixth sense when people were lying to me, using excuses to hide from what they knew was true, or even twisting God’s Word to fit their circumstances. God used Proverbs to do just want Solomon wrote, teach me wisdom and discipline.

If you lack wisdom and discipline or your life feels out of control, commit to reading this 31 Day guide, then repeat as often as possible. NO ONE can do this for you! It isn’t a quick fix and can’t give you instant results, but it works! And, unlike all the other self help methods, this one is backed by Jesus himself – the very wisdom of God.

Prayer

Dad,
Where would I be, who would I be without you? Everything good that I have came from you. Every good and decent thought or behavior is there because of you. Your word has been and is a light shining ahead of my feet! As I look back, I am so grateful for your grace and abundant wisdom!

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Raising a bad seed.

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“It is painful to be the parent of a fool; there is no joy for the father of a rebel.” Proverbs‬ ‭17:21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Parenting is NOT easy. In fact, with the amount of change, social awareness and TOO MUCH information, it’s harder than ever. Parenting is now a crowdsourcing experience. And, if you fall trap to the loud, crass, “experts”, you’re always be swimming in a pool of “I’m not enough” for my child. The comparison game is like the book series, “The Hunger Games.” It’s high stakes – the world is watching competition for the smartest, most charming and stylish child award. Maybe we were better parents when we were dumb and unaware?

Knowledge of child raising techniques has only increased stress and a horrible pretense of control. Parents aren’t supposed to control their children, they are supposed to love them, parent them, teach them and protect them.

The wisdom writers give us these axioms, these principles for parenting. And, there are a bunch of them scattered throughout Proverbs. One truth: It is extremely painful to raise a fool. Let me remind you of the Hebrew word used here: Nabal: foolish, senseless. Nabal is one of four words used in Proverbs. There is Keciyl (49x), silly, simple or dumb. Pethiy (15x), unaware, seducible. ‘Eviyl, (19x), perverse, bent. Then there is Nabal (3x), wicked, purposely vile. Nabal may, in fact, be best described in the movie, “The Bad Seed.” You may say, “its impossible to have an evil child.” Thinking about the whole nature vs nurture argument. Think what you want. The job of a parent is to guide their children away from their pre-disposed character issues towards right, good and wise. Isn’t that our job?

Every parent knows, or should know, babies come out of the womb with enormous behavioral and individual characteristic qualities. There is no child that like any other child! Here in this Proverb we have the worst case scenario, the child is a fool and the pain must be carried by their parents. Notably, the Dad, but we know both parents suffer immensely when this happens. This verse does not help us nor warn us how NOT to raise or help this rebellious child. It only recognizes the grief, the lack of joy in having a child turn out this way. And, this child is powerfully capable of bringing pain and sorrow to the entire family tree. A child growing into adulthood can being great joy and healthy pride, or they can bring great grief.

Also remember if Proverbs was a curriculum for young Jewish men, these principles and pearls of wisdom would be taught to the young as a warning about critical areas necessary for their growing and maturity, and give them a sense of responsibility to their God-given family name. The time to learn about obedience, consequences and boundaries are when the child is young and a parent can clearly see patterns that will either be helpful or hurtful to their development into youth, young adult and adulthood.

This is when children often think of us as the “bad parent,” killing our free-spirited joy of chaos, tantrums or bursts of anger. Ah, but we know how important it is to be a parent of a young child, not a friend or a nanny. We should not be afraid of their willful tears or swayed by their get-my-way tricks. Momma & Daddy don’t want to raise no fool!

Prayer

Dad,
I worried and wondered what kind of Father I would be, not having a good role model myself. I wondered what kind of Mother Robin would be. My hope was that Robin instinctively knew all about parenting. We both learned a lot having and raising the three amazing children, now grown adults. I credit Robin and Your grace for our grown children not turning out to be fools. And, I am so thankful for their character. Now, full circle, a couple of them are raising their own little miracles! Watching them love and train our Grandgirls is such a treat, such a joy. Thank you for allowing us to experience this true joy of parenting!

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Wisdom doesn’t celebrate April fools.

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“You simple people, use good judgment. You foolish people, show some understanding.” Proverbs‬ ‭8:5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Ok, today’s proverb is too perfect for the calendar! It’s April Fool’s Day. A day that used to be filled with jokes, puns, tricks and stunts you’d play on your teacher, co-worker, boss, family or friend. It should just be called “prank” day but apparently on tiktok or IG that’s everyday.

Proverbs is filled with this word fool. And, basically there are only four different Hebrew words used. In this one verse, two of them are used – kesil & pthiy. These two would be the most used words for fool and they are both the more innocent words, describing folks who are slow or simple.

Don’t misread these as critical for those born with special needs or some kind of diminished mental capacity or delays in learning. That is NOT what proverbs is about.

These fools are fools by behavior, choice, regular consistent lifestyle decisions that leaves them vulnerable by lack of learning. The fact that wisdom is BEGGING them to see, hear and make changes, reinforces the idea that they are this way because of sin, or selfish stubbornness.

The wisdom writers have wisdom personified, calling out to the “kesil” stupid, dullard, fool. And says to use good judgment. This is the word, prudence. It is interesting because this specific Hebrew word is a normally a negative word, but here it is to be used and applied POSITIVELY for the one who ALWAYS seems to be taken advantage of. There are to learn and apply some shrewdness or craftiness. Think about this. Sometimes the simple are always being mistreated unfairly because they’ve never learned the art of reading other people’s motives. They become victims of a continuous cycle because they’ve got this emotional target on their back that says “kick me.” Wisdom says, take off the sign and start paying attention to being ripped off! Quit “believing in others” to the point of sacrificing your own self worth and self respect. Get some shrewdness, LEARN to find your voice and stand up for yourself.

To the “pthiy” fool. The simple, perhaps open-minded, (when used negatively the root word, pathah, means open – like an airhead). Wisdom has some different advice, she says show some understanding – the word “bin”: to discern. For these folks who are silly (i.e. seducible) and may love playing the clown or enjoying the momentary attention that this “act” may bring. Wisdom calls out their nonsense and gives stern warning that this lifestyle is filled with heartache and they will continue to be the beneficiary of bad “luck”. It’s not bad luck, it’s just sad to see them live down to the worst of what others see and never apply themselves to change. This again is someone who constantly leans on an apparent ease of apathy, of no concerns for anything serious or consequences of inaction. Their perception of themselves and the world around them is a perpetual lie! Wisdom’s advice, start filling your head with something of substance, like knowledge or passion, or God’s word. Quit living life with a helium-filled brain!

If these two words describe you in anyway – you CAN CHANGE. Do not believe the lie that life will never get any better or that you can never be anything different. If you know a “fool,” love them, but be straight with them. Call them up to better. See their potential and constantly remind them of a future that is good. Offer help and feedback to get them unstuck and moving forward.

Have fun with the day of pranks, but please don’t play the fool.

PRAYER:

Dad,
I am so thankful for your wisdom. You are an amazing father to the fatherless and you do such a good job training us in wisdom, discernment and discipline.

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Oh, we are quite contrarian aren’t we?

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good! God looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!” Psalms‬ ‭53:1-3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This is one of those psalms I do not like waking up to first thing in the morning.

I love David’s opening line, “only fools.” but then he goes in to describe such a miserable outlook on humans – himself and me included. This is not how I want to face my day and go out to try to do some good, make some right decisions and add to the value of God’s Kingdom somehow.

I do think about the audacity of folks who feel so smart, so sophisticated and self-aware when they declare their disbelief in God. Look around, I think to myself. Who made all this? I ask. Oh, nothing, no one, they say. So when has something come from nothing ever before, I ask. Oh, it’s only happened once and it will never happen again, they say. Is that so? Effect without cause, design without a designer? Wow. That does sound foolish. Their beginning is without purpose and their end is meaningless. Where’d they get these outlandish ideas? From a liar.

From David’s perspective God did look and find no one good. But from God’s perspective and his perfect plan, he looked and saw our humanity through one particular man, the Son of Man, and saw not only good, but righteousness, perfection. Yes, it’s quite the spectacular mystery of grace. And, yes, it’s quite frustrating to live in a world of sin and corruption while waiting for God’s endgame and total completion of his plan.

But while we wait, we get to see the unique beauty of our existence through our fractured and frosted glass of sin – like broken sea-glass that washes on the shore. We get to see the world we’ve made because of our choices – our wars, hatred, jealousy, division and incessant selfishness and self will.

Prayer:

Dad,
What a dark and dim look at ourselves without seeing us through the filter of redemption. Oh, how patient you are. How how long suffering you are with us. You see our end as well as our beginning. I am so thankful you see us, you see me through the perfection of Jesus. I am eternally grateful for your mercy and grace extended through all our human history. Our thoughts and ways are not like yours – yet. But there will come a day where all things will be made right. I look forward to that day.