I wish with all my heart that I could also “play the fool” with you as this is after all “April fool’s day”. Over the years many funny tricks were played on people on the 1st of April that brought lots of laughter and pleasure to the human soul. However today I want to draw your attention to what God says about a fool.
‘A man of understanding sets skilful and godly Wisdom before his face, but the eyes of a self-confident fool are on the ends of the earth’ Pro 17:24. Let’s trace our interest in Wisdom back to the beginning. It first “enters into the heart” and there it “rest in him that has understanding” The book of Wisdom is before his face and it becomes his rule of faith and life – i.e. he reads his Bible daily. It is the centre to which all his thoughts, motives and pursuits tend to. All is now in order because every faculty, desire and affection finds its proper place.
He that has understanding fixes his eye upon wisdom and busies himself with that object, whereas the eyes of a fool are constantly wandering everywhere. His thoughts settle upon nothing that may avail to his good. His eyes are on the ends of the earth, rolling and wandering from one object to another. His thoughts are scattered. He has no definite object, no settled principle and no certain rule. Talent, cultivation of mind and improvement of opportunity is all thrown away. He cares for those things which are furthest from him and with which he has the least concern. He opens his mind to receive notions as one opens his palm to take a handful of water. He is sure to die but not sure what religion to die in. He receives many judgments but retains none. His best dwelling would be his confined bedroom where he would trouble nothing but his pillow.
This is a tool of the enemy. His great object is to turn the mind aside from what is immediate to what is indefinite. From what is plain and important to what is unsearchable. From what is personal to what is irrelevant. Is not this waste of time often a temptation to us Christian? Where are our eyes or our thoughts? Are we looking unto Jesus through a life of prayer or are they on the ends of the earth as if there was no closer and better object of attraction? Do we not want simplicity of spiritual understanding, to keep Him, the great uncreated Wisdom, constantly before our eyes?
‘The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good’ Psa 14:1. Fool here refers to an empty fellow or villain. One who has a muddy head and an unclean heart and in his darkness says in his heart; “there is no God”.
‘Let no person deceive himself. If anyone among you supposes that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool let him discard his worldly discernment and recognize himself as dull, stupid, and foolish, without true learning and scholarship, that he may become really wise. 1Co 3:18.
SO… DON’T BE A FOOL !!
Lorraine Lyon
