Who Does God Call a Fool?
We know April 1st as “April Fool’s Day.” It is a day when (hopefully) good natured practical jokes are played on others for the enjoyment of all. When trying to find the origin of said holiday, I noticed that no real origin could be found so I will share a number of possible ones. It is said that it came to be when the Julian calendar, which celebrated the New Year around March 25th was changed to the calendar we use today. Another possible beginning is that of the Roman holiday “Hilaria” which celebrated the end of winter. Others point to the ruler Constantine allowing a jester by the name of Kugel to rule as a king for a day. It is said that Kugel appointed one day in which humor was celebrated. Regardless of its beginning, it is a day when these jokes are played the joker usually refers to the jokee as an “April fool!” So we refer to the one unfortunate enough to be part of the joke to be called a fool. While this is done with a light heart there are moments within the pages of the Bible that God refers to individuals as “fools.” He does not do it with a light heart but with a serious tone. When God does it He does so to rebuke those to whom He speaks. Who, according to the Bible, does God call a fool?
One Who Denies the Existence of God. “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good” (Psalm 14:1). This covers the individual who denies the existence of God claiming the world and the things therein to have been created through unproven science. This would cover the persons of the world who is “religious” and yet is part of a religion which excludes God. These individuals would be fools in the eyes of God.
One Who Trusts in Riches Over God. After being called on by an individual to “divide the inheritance” Jesus offers a parable concerning covetousness (Luke 12:13-21). He spoke of a rich man who brought forth plentifully. He was so abundant that he had no room to store what he had reaped. What was his solution? Tear down the old barns and build bigger! Why? So he could rely on those things to bring him relaxation, comfort, and a good life. Where was God in this equation? This man trusted in his riches “But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” (Luke 12:20). Jesus summed everything up by saying that this was the man who lays up treasures for self but is NOT rich toward God (v. 21; cf. Psalm 49).
One Who Slanders Another. How often do Christians make passing statements about non-Christians or even their own brethren which could be counted as slander? Slander is basically an attack on someone else’s character. Why is it that Christians feel the need to tear each other down? Sometimes it’s even played off as, “I love brother so and so but…” and proceed to say something regarding that person’s character or actions. We do not say it to that person to help them grow but to someone else. God said, “He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool” (Proverbs 10:18).
One Who Seeks His Own Wisdom Over the Wisdom of God. This is similar to trusting in riches over God. There are many who seek to commit his ways and do things as he sees fit. His advice is better than any advice which can be given. Jeremiah said, “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). There are many who look to their own wisdom rather than true wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). God has spoken to man and said, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise” (Proverbs 12:15). Paul said of the Gentiles of time past, “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:22).
There are many other times in which God refers to an individual as a fool and in the future these will be brought out. The question we need to ask ourselves is, “Am I a fool?” If one of these things describes you then the answer is, “Yes.”
