# The Fool and the Wise: A Biblical Study
## INTRODUCTON
In my half-century of life, I have done countless foolish things. Some of this foolishness was harmless, yet most of it did a lot of damage to me and those around me. In fact, there were too many whole decades where I was more fool than wise. These experiences I have widely written about in other places... I'm sure to the amusement and also unsettlement of many in my [Silly Daddy](http://amzn.to/2D4pdFY) Comic Book Series.
Yet that is not the end of the story. It is only the beginning. Gratefully, through application of the scriptures and asking God for wisdom, I learned how to identify my own foolishness and seek after God's wisdom. This article should serve as a guide to keep me, and I hope also you, on the path of wisdom. Therefore to deeply appreciate wisdom, we need to deeply expose our own foolish nature. That is why we will look at many Bible verses that talk about a term that no one ever wants to be, yet too many stumble into this category... of The Fool.
## FOOL DEFINITIONS
According to Blue Letter Bible the Hebrew word for fool (H191 eviyl) is used to mean the following:
* One who despises wisdom
* One who mocks when guilty
* One who is quarrelsome
* One who is licentious (lacking moral restraints)
Strong's Concordance points out that this Hebrew word for fool is from an unused root meaning to be perverse: silly, foolish. While it is acceptable to be a bit silly from time to time, no one wants to be called a fool, or perverse. In fact, the latter two terms have always been considered an insult.
## WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE FOOL
You probably could guess that what the scriptures say about fools is not pleasant or pretty. In fact, it is quite alarming. The biblical warnings against being a fool are so striking, that as a natural defense mechanism, most people just assume these verses are talking about other people. Yet the word "fool" and its derivative forms are in the Bible 178 times. Can none of those verses be talking to us? Indeed, it is a larger issue than we might first think.
Therefore to really grow, we all have to consider the possibility that there is unseen foolishness in parts of what we do. Those who are humble and admit this have a hope of eventually growing wise. For such people, that is a great thing, because the danger is high.
"Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple." (Job 5:2)
* Being foolish is dangerous, and even deadly.
* Notice also that a fool who had resentment (bitterness) is comparable to putting the final nail in the coffin.
* Check our own heart toward other people, or we too can become worse.
"I myself have seen a fool taking root, but suddenly his house was cursed." (Job 5:3)
* People who do foolish things might appear to prosper at first. But sudden disaster is coming.
* Foolishness affects whole households.
"Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities." (Psalms 107:17)
* Being independent and rebellious causes a person to become foolish.
* In a world that constantly touts radical individualism, always going against the grain, and defying authority, that makes for much more suffering than otherwise.
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7)
* Having a holy fear, reference, respect, and awe of God is essential to the path of wisdom.
* Many say they fear God. The proof is if they actually obey instruction.
* Many receive instruction. Yet how many actually obey it?
"Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse. Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you." (Proverbs 9:7-9)
* Mockers and the unwise might think they are doing fine because no one may be correcting them anymore.
* Yet such corrections might have stopped because the wise are obeying the above verse: to not correct a mocker.
* Those who persist in foolish behavior isolate themselves for the help that the otherwise could be receiving.
"The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin." (Proverbs 10:8)
* If there are long and frequent explanations about why a person doesn't obey, they may be "a chattering fool."
* Their end is described as ruin.
"Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion." (Proverbs 11:22)
* Discretion is having good judgment.
* Looking attractive yet not having good judgment is a waste of time and resources.
"Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise." (Proverbs 11:29)
* Beware when a family is in ruin, chaos, or great disorder. It could be a sign of foolishness.
* There may be no inheritance for them. And the foolish may never grow, unless they change.
"They way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice." (Proverbs 12:15)
* The foolish devise their own plans and rarely think they need advice about life issues.
* Often the foolish have whole areas of their life and schedule that are undisclosed and they like it that way so they can be "free" to go their own way.
* Yet the wise will get advice about all areas of their life and schedule.
"Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent [one having careful good judgment] overlook an insult." (Proverbs 12:16)
* Often the foolish get resentful and defensive.
* Sometimes when this is pointed out, they even deny being annoyed because of their being self deceived.
* Are you easily irritated?
* Those easily irritated where it is evident to others, are biblically called "fools."
* By contrast, prudent people have the faith to overlook when they have been insulted.
"A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly." (Proverbs 12:23)
* Discretion is needed in what knowledge to share.
* Yet a foolish person will often expose their poor judgment in casual conversation and think nothing of it.
"Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright." (Proverbs 14:9)
* One of the definitions of a fool here is simply someone who does not repent.
* Those who are not foolish are urgent to make things right.
"Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding them like grain with a pestle, you will not remove their folly from them." (Proverbs 27:22)
* Until a fool wants to repent, they cannot really be changed by other people.
* A well-intentioned person can put hard work into helping a fool, yet the helper is often surprised when there is much help provided yet no change. In these cases, the issue is that the person is "a fool."
"For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: 'He catches the wise in their craftiness'" (1 Corinthians 3:19)
* Someone who merely has worldly wisdom will often be caught in crafty, yet fruitless and ungodly schemes.
* Much of what is classified as wise by society is actually not wise at all. In fact it is foolishness.
* This means we have to unlearn a lot of traditional approaches to life. That even included some religious behaviors that have no real biblical context.
* Learn to distinguish between what the world thinks is wise against what God declares as actually wise.
* That can only be done by reading the Bible and applying it to find out what God says is wise.
## THE SOLUTION TO FOOLISHNESS
The process of becoming wise starts with fearing God, as covered earlier (Proverbs 1:7). Yet that is just the beginning. The next step in not being foolish is to realize the areas in which we already are foolish. That's why so many of the above scriptures were covered. Read them over and over. Let's study them and test them against our own behavior. That may take some time, but it is worth it.
The next step is... get ready for it... to become wise. Sounds simple. And by description, it is simple. Yet by application, it takes diligence, humility, faith, and perseverance. A lasting wisdom must involve God in prayer as well as quality time with him as well as other people who are already wise. The scriptures below are also verses we must come back to, over and over.
"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 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. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." (James 1:5-8)
* Asking God for wisdom is essential to becoming wise.
* Also notice that how we ask God matters. It must be with a truly faithful disposition.
* I have found that my faith can get knocked about in the course of life, so asking God frequently for wisdom, and being called higher in my faith is vital to this process.
"He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." (Proverbs 13:20)
* As alluded to earlier, the process of becoming wise is between us and God. And it is also between us and other godly people who are already wise. Get to know such folks, and if any of them have written books (such as [this book on leadership](http://amzn.to/2G74D6c)), then by all means, read them.
* The above verse shows that we must walk with such people.
* That means spending regular quality time with those who are wise in the eyes of God.
* And not just being present with wise people, but also learning from them, and even following the godly pattern of their lives. That takes agility and humility. Then, as the scripture says, we will "grow wise."
May this article spur us onto the path of godly wisdom for all the rest of our days.
Joe Chiappetta