Are you a fool or a person of understanding? A quick test...

Here’s a quick test to determine whether you are a fool or a person of understanding.

Ask yourself: Is doing wrong things like a joke to me? Am I amused by seeing other people doing wicked things?

Ask yourself: Does a wise course of action give me pleasure?

I didn’t make up these two diagnostic questions. They come straight from Proverbs 10.23: ‘Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.’

These are indicting questions.

How many of us have laughed at perversity in slickly-packaged movies? Entire movie genres are built on combining humor with violence — the Diehard series comes to mind. Bruce Willis takes out the bad guys with a wink and a grin. When he crosses the line from law enforcement to personal vengeance, do we wink and grin with him? What about the too-cool Danny Ocean and his law-breaking partners? Do we enjoy their crimes? What about the sexual innuendo of sitcoms and late-night television?

How many of us gain deep pleasure from the path of wisdom? Are we pleased by the ordered finances, by the difficult but loving acts of service to our spouse, by the honest answer at work? Do we find more pleasure in what is right than in what is wrong?

Proverbs 10.23 has me thinking and praying for my own soul. I hope it will have that effect on you, too.

A final word: if you’re living like a foolish person and failed the diagnostic test from Proverbs 10.23, don’t despair. The gospel is for you. Jesus will forgive you and he will change you.

Posted by Stephen Witmer on Dec 14, 12:48 PM