There’s Foolishness – and Then There’s Real Folly

Here we are on April Fool’s Day, the annual day when we can engage in telling folks their shoes are untied – when they’re wearing loafers or leather sandals. Or telling some guy his zipper’s down, when it’s not. “April Fool’s!” 

 

No one knows for certain how and when this custom of carrying out practical jokes and pranks began, but it likely dates back at least several centuries. Seems no generation has lacked for having its share of fools and foolishness. There’s nothing wrong with good-natured trickery, but we need to understand that folly is a devastating year-round pastime for some people.

 

Reading the Bible, we find no mention of April Fool’s Day. But the Scriptures have much to say about fools and folly. The Proverbs, for example, are replete with warnings against the perils of foolishness. Exhortations start with the book’s first chapter: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7).

 

There’s an admonition not to foolishly neglect work that must be done: “How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man” (Proverbs 6:10-11).

 

We find folly and its enticements personified in a very sober manner: “The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge. She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way. ‘Let all who are simple come in here!’ she says to those who lack judgment…. But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave” (Proverbs 9:13-18).

 

Numerous other examples are woven throughout Proverbs, but here are just a hardful:

“Every prudent man acts out of knowledge, but a fool exposes his folly” (Proverbs 13:16).

“He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm” (Proverbs 13:20).

“The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down” (Proverbs 14:1).

“A fool’s talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them” (Proverbs 14:3).

“The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception” (Proverbs 14:8). 

“A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions” (Proverbs 18:2).

 

I think you get the idea. The Word of God overflows with cautions against foolish thinking and behavior. If we desire to experience a rewarding, fulfilling life, we’re advised to pursue wisdom and avoid folly.

 

But perhaps its strongest admonition of all is found in the Psalms, focusing on the importance of faith in God. King David, who wrote many of the Psalms, declared: 

“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one” (Psalm 14:1-3). 

 

Apparently, the king of Israel didn’t want this to be overlooked. In case the reader might have scanned over those verses and missed the urgency of the message, it’s repeated almost word for word later in Psalm 53:1-3.

 

So, on this April Fool’s Day, some of us will be duped by harmless, no malice of intent pranks. Ha, ha! But the foolishness of rejecting God – pridefully refusing to consider, much less accept, His loving offer of forgiveness and redemption through Jesus Christ – is no laughing matter.

 

We read about this in the first chapter of Romans: “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them…. For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools…” (Romans 1:18-25).

These words might seem harsh, but they assert that God is dead serious about this. There’s no harm in a silly April Fool’s prank, but to foolishly rebel against the Lord is a matter of eternal consequence. 

For Some, April Fool’s Day is a Year-Long Observance

As I started writing this new post, it occurred to me that it would appear on April Fool’s Day. My first thought was that I wish folks were fools only on April 1. But all we need to do is watch the news, read the papers, see what people say on social media – or just go to the supermarket – to find confirmation that’s not true. They’re everywhere, and at times I’ve been counted among them.

Fools and foolishness aren’t inventions of the 21^stcentury, of course. The attraction toward folly and aversion for wisdom are as old as humankind. The Bible, with its unvarnished candor, cites many examples – including many of its “star” characters.

Even King Solomon, reputed to be the wisest man who ever lived, was no stranger to foolishness. God clearly commanded kings of Israel not to “acquire great numbers of horses for himself…take many wives for himself…[or] accumulate for himself great amounts of silver and gold" (Deuteronomy 17:15-17). So what did Solomon do? He collected many stables full of horses; he had 1,000 wives and concubines, and he became renowned for his material wealth. Each contributed to his less than stellar finish as king.

Nevertheless, in his collection of proverbs, Solomon wrote repeatedly and eloquently about the foibles of fools. Perhaps he was humbly drawing from personal experience, as well as astute observation.

He doesn’t take long to get to it. In Proverbs 1:7, the king asserted, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” Later in the same chapter Solomon warns, “For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them” (Proverbs 1:32). He contrasts that fate in the very next verse, declaring, “But whoever listens to [wisdom] will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

After proceeding to cite many of the benefits of pursuing wisdom in the succeeding chapters, Solomon composes a verbal image of how enticing foolishness can be: “The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge. She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way. ‘Let all who are simple come in here!’ she says to those who lack judgment” (Proverbs 9:13-16).

I still remember a literal portrayal of this while traveling in Eastern Europe more than 20 years ago: “women of the street” shouting to get the attention of motorists as they drove past on the highway outside their city.

Solomon writes about foolish speech and behavior: “He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool…. The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment…. A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a man of understanding delights in wisdom” (Proverbs 10:18, 21,23).

The Israelite king devotes nearly an entire chapter of Proverbs to exposing the futility and fatal consequences of foolishness. For instance, “The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down” (Proverbs 14:1). Do you know of anyone who could fit that description, whether it applies to their own home and family, or the enterprises in which they’re involved?

A stern warning appears verses later: “Stay away from a foolish man, for you will not find knowledge on his lips. The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception” (Proverbs 14:7-8).

Then we see a contrast between those who strive to do right and make amends when wrong is committed versus those who have no interest in doing so: “Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright…. A wise man fears the Lord and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless. A quick-tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated” (Proverbs 14:9,16-17).

Wisdom goes a long way toward achieving prosperity, according to Solomon, just as foolishness can shipwreck one’s aspirations: “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly” (Proverbs 14:23-24).

The ancient king has lots more to say about the human blight we call foolishness, but you get the point. Fools delight in wallowing in their own foolishness, while those seeking to be wise diligently pursue wisdom, which starts with humble submission and reverence for God.

So while it’s April Fool’s Day, have fun pulling harmless pranks on your friends. By the way, your shoelace is untied. But if you desire to gain the most from this life, make wisdom a paramount goal.

Day for Fools in a Foolish Age

Tomorrow, April 1, is affectionately known as “April Fool’s Day.” We’ve designated almost every date to honor something these days, ranging from corn dogs and donuts to cancer awareness and canines. So why not have a day for celebrating fools and foolishness?

For the most part it’s a harmless observance. Some people try to trick friends into believing a falsity, like saying that their shoes are untied – a bit embarrassing for someone wearing sandals who looks anyway. “April Fool’s!” But throughout history, it seems there’s been no shortage of folks willing to play the fool; some have done so extremely well.

Greek philosopher Plato commented, “Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.” Martin Luther King Jr. sagely observed, “We must learn together as brothers or perish together as fools.” Charles Darwin reputedly stated, “I love fools’ experiments. I am always making them.”

Some of the world’s famous statesmen were acutely aware of the peril of fools and foolishness. Benjamin Franklin observed, “Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain – and most fools do.” French military and political leader Napoleon Bonaparte offered a different slant: “Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools.”

Writers seem inclined to think about fools and foolishness a lot. For instance, Russian playwright and author Anton Chekhov opined, “No psychologist should pretend to understand what he does not understand…. Only fools and charlatans know everything and understand nothing.” And French philosopher Voltaire commented, “Prejudices are what fools use for reason.” American writer, editor and critic Edgar Allan Poe offered this perspective: “I have great faith in fools – self-confidence, my friends will call it.”

And there’s the famous quote of unknown origin, “A fool and his money are soon parted.” Sad to admit, there was a time when that described me. The Bible speaks to this: “Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no desire to get wisdom?” (Proverbs 17:16).

The Scriptures also have a lot to say about fools and their folly, but not in the funny, ha-ha, April Fool’s sense. The book of Proverbs offers dozens of verses that address the topic directly. For instance, the opening chapter declares, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7). Proverbs 10:14-15 expands on that idea: “Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment. Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.”

Foolishness, the Scriptures point out, is not an exclusively masculine pitfall. “The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down” (Proverbs 14:6). Another passage, in sharp contrast with earlier verses about the virtues of wisdom, informs us, “A foolish woman is clamorous, she is simple and knows nothing. For she sits at the door of her house, on a seat by the highest places of the city, to call to those who pass by…. ‘Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.’”

Regarding family relationships, we’re told, “A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother” (Proverbs 15:20). Another passage states, “A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him” (Proverbs 17:25). Other types of relationships are important, too, as Proverbs 13:20 points out: “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”

Our society has encouraged a philosophy that excuses people from their own failures and foolish actions. When they make unwise choices, the consequences are – we’re told – always someone else’s fault. This apparently isn’t a new perspective: “A man’s own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the Lord” (Proverbs 19:3).

The Bible’s commentary on fools, folly and foolishness is not limited to Proverbs. Citing the evils of greed and self-indulgence, Jesus described a rich man who smugly determined that in his quest to accumulate more and more, he would build larger barns to store it all. In the story, the man reasoned, “I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’” (Luke 12:16-20).

But the greatest indictment against foolish thinking is found in Psalm 14:1, which declares, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’….” On the day when people like that stand in judgment before their Creator, April Fool’s Day will be the least of their concerns.

One Thing the Internet Can’t Teach Us

I never cease to marvel over the vast and ever-growing storehouse of knowledge the Internet offers to us. Years ago, when doing research for a book or an article, I’d usually jump in the car and drive to the nearest library. I have nothing against libraries – they’re fun places to visit – but thanks to the Internet I haven’t needed to go to a library for information in several years.

Just about anything we could think can be found on the Internet: biographies, famous quotations, recipes, summaries of books and films, health information, do-it-yourself tips (not that I’d have any interest in those), sports statistics, weather forecasts, phone numbers, map and directions. You name it, it’s there.

My wife and I recently marked our 40^th anniversary, so out of curiosity I looked up the year 1974 on the Internet to see what was going on then – it was too long ago to remember! I found out Richard Nixon was in the midst of the Watergate scandal; 24-hour a day radio news coverage was just starting; “Happy Days” was beginning its 11-year TV run; Peter Benchley’s book, Jaws, was published; Barbra Streisand was singing “The Way We Were”; and somebody named Woody Hayes was coaching the Ohio State football team.

We'd all like to be wise as the proverbial owl.
But where and how does the owl get its wisdom?

You can find anything you need to learn online. That is, almost anything. One thing you can’t learn from the Internet is wisdom.

True, you can learn the definition of wisdom. The one I like best is: “the ability or result of an ability to think and act utilizing knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense, and insight.” Another defines wisdom as “the soundness of an action or decision with regard to the application of experience, knowledge, and good judgment.”

We can even find out what other people have said about wisdom. I never thought of the late great rock guitarist and vocalist Jimi Hendrix as a fount of wisdom, but he observed, “Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.” Must have come from one of his more elucidating LSD moments.

Author Aldous Huxley asserted, “Experience is not what happens to you; it's what you do with what happens to you.” There’s considerable wisdom in that recognition. Sounds like the voice of experience.

Philosopher Socrates once stated, “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” I wouldn’t go that far, but it’s occurred to me that the older you get and the more you think you know, the more you discover you don’t know yet.

Revered Chinese philosopher Confucius pointed to the reality of wisdom’s attainment when he said, “By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.”

President Calvin Coolidge gave a similar view when he commented, “Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers. It may not be difficult to store up in the mind a vast quantity of facts within a comparatively short time, but the ability to form judgments requires the severe discipline of hard work and the tempering heat of experience and maturity.”

The Internet truly is a bottomless well for information and knowledge, and we can learn a lot about wisdom, but you’ll never gain wisdom solely through mental exercise. It is, as Huxley commented, what you do with what you get. And there’s no substitute for time and experience.

But there’s one more source of wisdom we too often disregard entirely. The Scriptures tell us where to find it: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7).

James 1:5 says wisdom can be ours just for the asking: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” But there’s a caveat to such a request, as the next verse points out. “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind” (James 1:6).

Later in the book it states, “The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17). That sounds like something worth having.

True, much of wisdom comes through the everyday grind of life’s hard knocks. As someone as said, the way to get wisdom is through experience, and the way to gain good experience is by making mistakes and having bad experiences. But if we can tap into the wisdom of God, maybe we can avoid having to endure some of those bad experiences brought about by foolish mistakes. I’ve already made more than my share of those!