Learnin' lessons...

Hindsight...

Listening to the preaching at church last Sunday I was really hit with what was being said.

The sermon was a continuation of a series on the book of Proverbs. This week was on fools. Fools in the biblical sense, what God deems as a fool.

Every word that the preacher said described someone specific. Then it hit me, as it has many times. The Lord's grace is wonderful. He saves us from ourselves if we're willing to give ourselves up to His purpose.

There were two kinds of fools specifically that really hit home. One was the Self-Confident Fool, and the other the Scoffing Fool. The words that were used to describe these two fools were very similar; so much so that these Fools seemed to blend into one.

The Self-Confident Fool thinks he knows everything, is very stubborn, and has a big mouth (Proverbs 12:15, 14:9, 15:5, 27:22, 10:14). This Fool is full of himself. He doesn't want to learn, quick to argue and defend himself. This Fool believes that he is wise and that Christians are irrational and illogical. He is close to destruction.

Right next to him is the Scoffing Fool. He mocks morality and authority. Basically, this Fool has no respect for anyone or anything; especially morality (Proverbs 14:9, 9:7-8, 13:1, 29:80). This Fool:

• mocks sin
• mocks morality
• despises correction
• hates the one who tries to correct him
• is the god of his own life
• is arrogant and proud
• is a trouble maker, meaning when he is around everyone argues, usually because they have been provoked by him
• loves to express his opinion but does not listen to others

Praise the Lord he has given specific ways to avoid being the fool. Those ways are what a wise man (person) does. A wise man (all verses are from Proverbs):

• fears the Lord (8:13, 9:10)
• seeks to understand (1:5, 1:7, 18:2)
• gets [wise] advice and counsel (15:22)
• plans ahead (6:6-8)
• accepts criticism—the wise man loves criticism because he can learn from it (9:8)
• is disciplined—the wise man has control unlike the fool who is out of control (25:28, 29:11)
• has good relationships (12:26, 13:20)

Another point that was made based on "a wise man has good relationships" was the reminder that you become who you hang out with. It is more often than not that you change rather than the person/ people you are hanging out with.

Again, this is just the "big sister" in me speaking out too. With two cousins who are both 18 (one in high school and one in college) and 10 other younger cousins, I'm voicing my concerns.

There are some that I am more worried about than others too. Regardless, it is very easy to hang around with a person/ people who are like the Fools mentioned above. I'm not quite sure what it is, probably Satan, but the Fool and the Fool's lifestyle can seem very appealing. It is an easy thing to get wrapped up in.

When we start to hang around with the people who are the Fools, we become like them. We may never be as imprudent as the Fool we are hanging around with is, but we come pretty close.

These Fools mock morality and authority in an appealing fashion. They make it seem like their way is best, they know better, and you should live like them. They are devious and supercilious enough to watch and even help you throw everything to the side to be likeminded with them.

Again, my hope is here that someone can learn from this, and maybe even my experiences, and not make the same mistake. My prayer is for the younger ones in my family to see what my mistakes did to the family and RUN away from it! They need to be firmly rooted in their beliefs and unwavering no matter what the cost.

It's really cool when you can go to church, hear a sermon, and get that much out of it. Praise the Lord that He can pull us out of any mess that we get ourselves into. There's always such a blessing in doing His will instead of our own, which is usually so much more than we could have ever imagined!