10 Reasons Not to be a Fool
2 February 2020 PM – Proverbs 3:35 – Fools – Scott Childs
Introduction: When I was in year 4 or 5, I remember our teacher asking each of us what we wanted to become when we grew up. My classmates gave many different answers. I remember one boy saying that he wanted to be a preacher. At that time, I thought that was a strange answer. I wanted to be a carpenter.
Though there was no one in my class who said they wanted to become a fool when they grew up, sadly, I am sure that many of them did just that. They turned away from God and lived their lives by their own choices. Our sinful nature naturally gravitates toward foolishness. If we do nothing to change our course, we too will live as fools.
Transition: This evening we are going to examine ten reasons not to be a fool.
1. It will shame you
a. (Proverbs 3:35) “The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.”
b. (Proverbs 26:1) “As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.”
c. Shame is the opposite of honour. It is disgrace or dishonour. It is that which causes a person to want to hide.
1) A fool may accumulate beautiful possessions. He may gain high social position. He may become famous for his talents. However, in the eyes of God he is a zero.
2) The end of a life lived without God and God’s wisdom is a shameful disgrace.
2. It will lead you astray
a. (Proverbs 5:23) “He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.”
b. In the context, this verse speaks of an immoral person. Being immoral is very foolish. All such sinful activity will cause a person to go astray from God’s plan for his life.
c. (2 Timothy 2:22) “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
3. By your lips you will fall
a. (Proverbs 10:8) “The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.”
b. (Proverbs 10:10) “He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.”
c. The word “prating” means to speak, but the Hebrew word actually describes ones lips.
1) Foolish lips say things that are unwise and ungodly.
2) If you have foolish lips or lips that speak foolishness, you are heading for a fall.
3) The fool’s words are a stumbling block to his own feet.
4. Your mouth will take you near to ruin
a. (Proverbs 10:14) “Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.”
b. The fool’s mouth keeps him constantly near destruction or ruin.
1) He cannot control his mouth. “The fool babbles without discretion – with reckless inconsideration and rashness.” (Wardlaw)
2) It is dangerous to explore a rickety old building that is about to fall down. One wrong move, one careless step, and the whole building may come down on top of you. A fool’s mouth is like that old building ready to crash.
5. Your lack of wisdom will kill you
a. (Proverbs 10:21) “The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.”
b. It is difficult to know if the word “die” here refers to physical or eternal death. It could apply to both.
1) Foolish choices can shorten life as well as lead to hell.
2) Wardlaw points out, “In spite of all their acquisitions in science, and all their reputation and honour, applause and flattery for their worldly sagacity, they ‘die.’”
6. You will become a servant to the wise
a. (Proverbs 11:29) “He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.”
b. Though fools often bribe or cheat their way into positions of leadership, as a rule, especially from God’s perspective, wise people rise to leadership and fools are placed in servitude.
c. Though this rule may often be twisted in our world, God always places the wise in heart above the fool. In God’s view, the cream always rises to the top.
7. Your mouth will destroy and snare your soul
a. (Proverbs 18:7) “A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.”
b. Again, God warns us that a fool’s mouth and his lips are the cause of his ruin.
1) His mouth is his destruction or ruin.
2) His lips are a snare to his soul. A snare is a trap made with a loop of string, a trigger and a bent branch.
3) The angry, cruel, harsh, rash, unkind, dishonest, lying words of a fool lead to the ruin of his very life.
8. Your foolishness will pervert your way
a. (Proverbs 19:3) “The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.”
b. The word “perverteth” means to twist. Foolishness or lack of God’s wisdom twists a man’s way. It makes his way crooked. It leads him off God’s straight path. God’s way is straight. Man’s way is crooked.
c. Foolishness or lack of wisdom also causes the heart to fret against God. The word “fret” means to be out of humour, irritated, sad or angry. The fool’s heart is irritated against the Lord because he does not like God’s straight ways.
9. Your thoughts will be sinful
a. (Proverbs 24:9) “The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.”
b. The thoughts or plans of a fool are evil. Fools think about sinful dreams. Fools make sinful plans. Fools think immoral thoughts. Fools plot dishonest activities.
1) The thoughts of a fool are sinful.
2) Years ago, I heard a preacher say, “If you think about something long enough, eventually you will do it.”
3) We must NOT let our thoughts dwell on foolish sinful things.
4) Jesus said that our inner thoughts lead to our outer actions. (Matthew 15:19) “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:”
10. You will receive severe punishment
a. (Proverbs 19:29) “Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.”
b. (Proverbs 26:3) “A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.”
c. Being a fool will get you into much trouble. God says that fools require severe punishment because they are so stubborn.
1) Stripes or blows from a whip or a rod on the back are God’s prescription for the fool.
2) Such punishment is very severe. The reason for this is that fools do not want to change their evil ways.
3) (Proverbs 27:22) “Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.” A mortar is a solid bowl used for grinding seeds or grain. The pestle is a stone or wooden club for pounding the seeds or grain in the mortar. God says that though you bray (pound) a fool in a mortar with a pestle, he will still remain a fool. Only God can change the heart of a fool.
Conclusion: This evening we have examined 10 Reasons Not to be a Fool. (Review) God does NOT want you to be a fool. God wants you to be wise. Wisdom will lead you in God’s straight way. Foolishness will lead you to ruin.
Each of us started out life as a fool (Pr 22:15). After what we learned tonight, we should not want to remain a fool. To overcome foolishness we need biblical wisdom. We can only get wisdom from God. (Proverbs 9:10) “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…” (Proverbs 2:6) “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” I urge you to study the Bible and seek God’s wisdom every day!
Song: Teach Me Thy Way, O Lord – 337