Foolishness and Folly

Ecclesiastes 10:1 says

Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.

For quite a while now I've been wanting to post on our speech and actions and how they effect our 'witness'. I just haven't taken the time to put my thoughts together on it. A couple of verses crossed my path recently that really solidified this for me. Part of it is because this might be where I struggle the most as a Christian. Keeping my speech sound. I'm really not a loud or vulgar person by nature. My problem is light-heartedness (a nice way to say foolishness). Anyone that knows me knows that I hate confrontation and conflict, so I turn to humor. I always have. Where do I draw the line? Where does humor cross over to what Paul talks about in Ephesians 5:3-4 (But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.)? I mentioned in a previous post how my 'jesting' caused a co-worker of mine to take notice, and not in a good way.

I have spoken (written) more than once in the past about how those starving in the world want something different than what the world has to offer. That's why they're starving. The world has plenty of comedians. We don't need them in the church, too. Yeah, I might make someone laugh, which makes me feel good, but have I challenged anyone spiritually? Have I encouraged someone? I really try to encourage people. I have seen enough depression in my life. If I can lift someone up, I try to do it. But, does it have to be through entertaining them? If I could juggle, I would have tried that, I'm sure. All this does is make them forget about their problem momentarily instead of pointing them to an answer to fix the problem.

I'm not proposing that we walk around sulky all of the time. I've seen Christians like that and that doesn't impress anyone. I've even had people ask me why Christians are always in a somber mood and never joyful. Like I said, the world takes notice. We should be joyful. Why would anyone want to come to the Lord if it meant we had to appear depressed all of the time? Come to the Lord to escape the worlds depression! But that doesn't mean we need to be fools. I've seen “Christian Comedians” before. Yes, they make me laugh. Most fools do. How do they expect to lead anyone to Christ? Can people actually take them seriously? I've seen them on stage making people laugh until they cry one minute, than try to switch gears and share about Jesus. It didn't do anything for me. I was thinking “c'mon, get through this and get back to the funny stuff.” It goes back to wanting to be entertained. I'm sure I've exhausted you with my torrents of entertainment in the church, so I'll save that for another day.

It boils down how people perceive you. No we should not strive to please man, BUT, if people don't respect you, they will not listen to you. How do you expect to share with people who have no respect for you? How do you expect people to respect you if life is just one big joke right after another? You don't need to go through life speaking only scriptures, but your life needs some seriousness in it. If someone has a problem, do they go to the foolish joker or do they go to the level, joyful person? I know where I would go. Maybe I'm making a mountain out of a molehill with this, but it's something I feel I need to examine in myself. I also know what the scriptures say about our speech and actions. Read through Proverbs. How often does it speak about fools, foolishness, and their follies? I also know that a little foolishness makes a man who has a reputation of wisdom and honor to stink. A little foolishness could ruin what you have worked for in a short moment.

God bless!

“…holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Heb. 12:14