Fools Rush In!
A pastor, a doctor, a boy scout, and the smartest man in the world took a leisurely afternoon flight on a small airplane:
Suddenly, the pilot ran to the back and yelled, “Mayday! Mayday! The plane is going down, and we only have four parachutes for five people.” The pilot took a parachute and jumped out of the plane”.
The doctor declared, “I save lives every day, and the world needs me!” He secured a parachute and jumped out.”
The smartest man in the world said “My knowledge might save millions. The world requires my brain!” He grabbed another parachute and jumped.
The pastor and the boy scout looked at each other. Then the pastor insisted, “I’m sure I’m going to heaven. “You take the last parachute.” The boy responded, “Don’t worry, we’re okay. The smartest man in the world just jumped with my backpack!”
It is possible to be the smartest person in the room and the biggest fool in the room at the same time.
Two men were talking over coffee. One confessed, "I've been experiencing a strange and painful side effect from coffee. I'm fine when I drink it black, but if I use cream, or sugar, or both, I get a stabbing pain in one eye." Then he took a sip of his coffee. "Oww!" he cried. "There it goes again!" The other man concluded, "Take the spoon out of the cup."
We all have blind spots.
Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with you. How can we spot and deal with the fools in our lives?
Here is a quick way to spot a fool: If he thinks he’s the smartest person in the room, he just might be a fool. If he thinks about who the smartest person in the room is, he just might be a fool. If he cares who the smartest person in the room is, he might be a fool.
1 Kings chapter 3 describes how God granted King Solomon one wish—he could have anything he wanted. Solomon didn’t ask for a long life, or to be rich, or to have his enemies destroyed. He asked for wisdom. And God not only made Solomon the wisest man who ever lived, he also gave him long life, riches and dominion over his enemies.
So, Solomon became instantly wise. And one of the consequences of that wish was Solomon discovered that there are a lot of fools in the world. Most of us most of the time figure everyone we are dealing with is somewhat wise. We’re trained to think the best about others. But how can we tell if someone is foolish?
The Bible’s book of Acts cites several signs that someone might be a fool:
1. Ignorance
“Friends, I realize that what you and your leaders did to Jesus was done in ignorance. – Acts 3:17 (NLT)
Wise men say only fools rush in…
Ignorance may be systemic, or it may be willful. Either way, lack of awareness is obviously a sign we are dealing with foolishness.
George Bernard Shaw admitted, “The only man I know who behaves sensibly is my tailor; he takes my measurements anew each time he sees me. The rest go on with their old measurements and expect me to fit them.”
2. Greed
And Peter said, “How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.” – Acts 5:9 (NLT)
Ananias and Sapphira were so preoccupied with themselves and their finances they perpetrated the first deceitful scheme in the Christian church. They thought they were clever, but they were actually foolhardy. They sold their integrity—and their lives—for what? A little bit of cash?
When someone cannot or does not see the obvious blowback from his or her self-indulgence, that person is signaling their own foolishness.
The love of money is the root of all kinds of foolishness. Fools rush after more.
3. Selfishness
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power. “Let me have this power, too,” he exclaimed, “so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!” But Peter replied, “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought! You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God. Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts, for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin.” – Acts 8:18-23 (NLT)
Simon the Sorcerer was a performer who boasted about his greatness. Then he appeared to commit to Jesus. But his jealousy of the disciples and his craving for attention announced his utter recklessness.
When we get caught up in bitterness, jealousy, a lust for fame, and accolades, we get caught up in foolishness.
4. Distraction
When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, “Peter is standing at the door!” “You’re out of your mind!” they said. When she insisted, they decided, “It must be his angel.” Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. – Acts 12:14-16 (NLT)
Imagine you are praying for your friend Peter to be released from incarceration. Then imagine while you are praying, Peter literally knocks on the door of your house. That is what happened to this servant girl named Rhoda. Incredible! Yet Rhoda was so amazed she didn’t even open the door for Peter.
Like Rhoda I can get so excited or focused or distracted, I do something silly and foolish.
5. Abdication
The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!” So the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.”
But Paul replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!” When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city. – Acts 16:35-39 (NLT)
Fools abdicate their responsibility. They shirk responsibility, refuse to take the blame, and make excuses for their behavior. Such behavior is the way of fools.
Fools rush in, and sometimes they rush out when there is work to be done in.
6. Troublemakers
But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. – Acts 17:5 (NLT)
We have enough trouble as it is. We don’t need to foolishly stir up anymore!
The problem with foolishness is that it doesn’t always just reside in the other person. Too often, I’m the one who rushes in ignorantly, greedily, selfishly, unaware, and unwilling to do my part. Sometimes I’m the backpack grabber.
Here’s the application, let’s learn to discern when someone else is foolish, but more importantly when we’re being foolish. And let’s commit to growing in wisdom instead.