You Might Be a Fool If...
By J.B. Hixson, Ph.D.
09/01/2021
He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive. (Proverbs 17:27-28)
Jeff Foxworthy has developed quite a following with his patented "You Might Be a Redneck" jokes. It does not matter how many times I have heard them, they always make me chuckle. Be honest, you laugh at them too. For instance, you might be a redneck if…
Jeff's creativity has spawned numerous similar jokes such as, you might be a liberal.... You might be a Republican.... You might be a Baptist.... And on and on it goes.
Did you know that the book of Proverbs takes a similar approach when it talks about the foolish and the wise? Throughout the book, we read over and over again that you might be a fool if.... For example, "You might be a fool if you hate knowledge" (1:22). "You might be a fool if you always think you are right" (12:15). "You might be a fool if you mock sin" (14:9).
Perhaps you have heard the adage: "Better to remain quiet and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." This principle comes directly from Proverbs 17:28. "Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive." Fools almost always expose their folly through their words.
You never really know for sure that you are dealing with a fool until he opens his mouth. Sure, you may have suspicions. Perhaps it is a bewildered look. Maybe he did not laugh at a joke that everyone else seemed to get just fine. Or, maybe he keeps running into walls as he walks. But in such cases, there always could be plausible explanations that do not involve the conclusion that you are dealing with a fool.
But let a fool start talking, and yep! There is no doubt. That is because what comes out of the mouth reveals the true nature of what is in the heart. Jesus said, "Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matt 12:34). A fool can coast along just fine for years if he does not have to engage in any meaningful, substantive conversation. To the discerning ear, it does not take long to identify a fool if you simply listen to what he says.
A "fool" in the book of Proverbs refers to someone whose worldview is self-centered and omits God and His Word. It often represents an unbeliever, but not always. It also can apply to believers who are walking out of fellowship with God. In either case, you might be a fool if the words you say betray a worldview that fails to take God into account in every aspect of your life.
There are two lessons we can learn from this. First, if God is not a central part of your life, please do everyone else a favor and stop talking. Second, learn to evaluate the wisdom of others by listening carefully to what they say and running it through the grid of Scripture. Be careful not to dismiss others too hastily based upon what they look like or how they act. It is what they say that really matters.
09/01/2021
He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive. (Proverbs 17:27-28)
Jeff Foxworthy has developed quite a following with his patented "You Might Be a Redneck" jokes. It does not matter how many times I have heard them, they always make me chuckle. Be honest, you laugh at them too. For instance, you might be a redneck if…
- You have a complete set of salad bowls, and they all say Cool Whip on the side.
- You met your wife at a family reunion.
- You've ever used your ironing board as a buffet table.
- You think a quarter horse is that ride in front of Walmart.
- You've ever used a toilet brush as a back scratcher.
- You missed 5th grade graduation because you had jury duty.
Jeff's creativity has spawned numerous similar jokes such as, you might be a liberal.... You might be a Republican.... You might be a Baptist.... And on and on it goes.
Did you know that the book of Proverbs takes a similar approach when it talks about the foolish and the wise? Throughout the book, we read over and over again that you might be a fool if.... For example, "You might be a fool if you hate knowledge" (1:22). "You might be a fool if you always think you are right" (12:15). "You might be a fool if you mock sin" (14:9).
Perhaps you have heard the adage: "Better to remain quiet and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." This principle comes directly from Proverbs 17:28. "Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive." Fools almost always expose their folly through their words.
You never really know for sure that you are dealing with a fool until he opens his mouth. Sure, you may have suspicions. Perhaps it is a bewildered look. Maybe he did not laugh at a joke that everyone else seemed to get just fine. Or, maybe he keeps running into walls as he walks. But in such cases, there always could be plausible explanations that do not involve the conclusion that you are dealing with a fool.
But let a fool start talking, and yep! There is no doubt. That is because what comes out of the mouth reveals the true nature of what is in the heart. Jesus said, "Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matt 12:34). A fool can coast along just fine for years if he does not have to engage in any meaningful, substantive conversation. To the discerning ear, it does not take long to identify a fool if you simply listen to what he says.
A "fool" in the book of Proverbs refers to someone whose worldview is self-centered and omits God and His Word. It often represents an unbeliever, but not always. It also can apply to believers who are walking out of fellowship with God. In either case, you might be a fool if the words you say betray a worldview that fails to take God into account in every aspect of your life.
There are two lessons we can learn from this. First, if God is not a central part of your life, please do everyone else a favor and stop talking. Second, learn to evaluate the wisdom of others by listening carefully to what they say and running it through the grid of Scripture. Be careful not to dismiss others too hastily based upon what they look like or how they act. It is what they say that really matters.
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