What Kind of Fool Am I?

By Bill Brandstatter

    Sunday April 1, 2018 was April Fool’s Day. But, Sunday April 1, 2018 was also Easter Sunday. I read a statistic that noted that this was only the fourth time since 1900 that Easter and April Fool’s Day fell on the same day. April Fool’s Day caused me to think the way the Bible uses the word “fool.” The tile of this article comes from the statement of the apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 4:10: “We are fools for Christ’s sake.” So, let us ask ourselves, “What kind of fool am I?
     The first kind is the one who says there is no God. The Psalmist stated, “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” (Ps. 14:1) This is the individual that would look for situations to disprove the existence of God. This may be the person who states, “If God is benevolent and kind, why is there so much evil in the world?” This person may be a Christian who has forsaken God for love of the present world. Are you this kind of fool?
     The second kind of fool is the one who professes to be wise but is not. Paul wrote to the church of Christ at Rome, “Professing to be wise, they became fools.” (Rom. 1:22) There may be many today who are wise in their own eyes. They don’t think they need God. They don’t do anything really bad. They live a good moral life. They oppose some of the same things Christians oppose but they have never become Christians. These folks are fools. Are you this kind of fool?
     The third kind of fool is the one who doesn’t handle time correctly. Here Paul writes, “Walk circumspectly, not as fools.” (Eph. 5:15) How many have learned the simple lesson that flying by the seat of your pants simply does not work. Many today are into spontaneity. It is the name of the game, morally, socially, and sometimes religiously. Whatever hits the person at any particular moment is all that matters. Yet the Bible tells us to watch and be careful in life. Caution is the mode of operation for all the Christian does in life. Are you this kind of fool?
     Finally, we come to 1 Cor. 4:10 where Paul writes, “We are fools for Christ’s sake.” Another way to put this would be to say that Christians look foolish in the sight of the world, yet they did it for Christ’s sake. This is the type of fool we all should be. Peter stated, “If any man suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” (1 Pet. 4:16) The challenge to us today is to look like fools in the sight of the world in order to be pleasing to God. Are you this kind of fool?
     What kind of fool are you? Obviously, we should be none of the first three; but if we love the Lord and want Him to be master of our lives, we will deliberately become fools in the sight of the world. May God grant us the knowledge, strength and ability to do this.

- Bill Brandstatter preaches for the Marion Church of Christ in Marion, IL. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://marionchurchofchrist.com/