Pity the Fool
Good morning, church. I have a question: When you read the Bible, how often are you tempted to skip straight to applying that text to someone else?
I’ve been reading Proverbs lately. If you’ve ever read through the book of Proverbs, you’ll notice that “fools” get a lot of attention. Fools are mentioned over 70 times in the book. It’s easy to read about these fools, and jump right away to thinking about someone else! You know how this goes, right?
“The way of fools seems right to them but the wise listen to advice.”
Ah, yes. My wife really needs that one today. My coworker, my neighbor, my friend, they need to get their act together and listen to some Scripture! Like Mr. T, we pity that fool!
But Hebrews 4 tells us that the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any sword, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And I don't actually know the intentions of your heart, do I? But God does.
When we open the Bible, we’re not primarily looking through a window at someone else’s life. We’re looking into a mirror. God intends to reveal my own pride, unbelief, and foolishness so that he can transform me.
And remember, when the Word of God Himself walked among us in the person of Jesus, his disciples often assumed other people needed his teaching more than they did. Again and again, he brought the conversation back to their own hearts. We’re not so different.
So as we come to God’s Word, let’s come humbly. Let’s ask not merely, “Who needs to hear this?” but “Lord, what are you saying to me?” Let’s allow Jesus, by his Spirit, to search us, renew our minds, and make us wise.
And when His Word exposes our sin, let’s remember that the King’s mercy is greater than all our folly.
This reminds us of our need to confess our sins, so please pray with me.
Father, we are so quick to see the sins of others and so slow to let your Word expose our own failures. We see all this foolishness in the world and forget the foolishness that lives in our own hearts. Forgive us.
Please rebuke and restore us as we confess to you our specific faults in the quiet of this moment…
