When Foolishness Looks Like Fun

Reflection

Have you ever wondered why people do the things they do? I am talking about the things that don't seem to make any sense to most of us. Someone makes the same choices over and over again and somehow expects a different result. Someone causes havoc simply because they enjoy it. People stir up disagreements between others, create unnecessary trouble, and seem to find entertainment in things that only bring destruction. Sometimes I look at these things and think, "Why would anyone want to live like that?"

Then I walked to the mirror, and I had a little reflection from my own past.

There have been plenty of times when I acted foolishly. I rejected good counsel because I wanted to do what I wanted to do. I wanted the good times, the excitement, and the pleasure that came with making my own choices. I knew there were things I probably shouldn't be doing, but that didn't always stop me. Looking back, I can see that some of the things I once considered fun were actually foolishness dressed up as enjoyment.

Temporary pleasure can make foolishness look much better than it really is.

That is what makes Proverbs 10:23 so interesting to me. Solomon says that mischief is like sport to a fool. There are things that a foolish person can actually find entertaining that someone with understanding would never consider satisfying. What one person sees as fun, another person may recognize as destructive.

We sometimes talk about sin as though people simply stumble into it without realizing what they are doing. But sin can be very appealing to our flesh. Scripture even tells us that Moses chose "rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season." There is a pleasure associated with sin, at least for a season. That is part of what makes temptation so effective.

The problem is that temporary pleasure can make foolishness look much better than it really is. We may enjoy the moment while ignoring where the choice is taking us. We may laugh about something that should grieve us, celebrate something that is damaging us, or call something harmless because we don't want to think about the consequences.

I know this because I have done it. There were times when I was more interested in enjoying myself than listening to wisdom. Good counsel was available, but I didn't want it because it interfered with what I wanted to do. When we are determined to have our own way, even wise advice can sound like someone trying to keep us from having fun.

Wisdom Changes What We Value

But Proverbs gives us a beautiful contrast. The person of understanding does not find foolishness satisfying in the same way. Wisdom changes what we value. As we grow in our understanding of God and His Word, there should be things that once appealed to us that no longer hold the same attraction. That doesn't mean temptation disappears or that we suddenly become incapable of making foolish choices. It means our understanding begins to change what we see.

What once looked exciting can begin to look empty. What once seemed harmless can become something we recognize as destructive. What once felt like freedom can become something we understand as bondage. Wisdom doesn't simply tell us what not to do. It teaches us to see things differently.

Paul gives us a similar warning in Ephesians 5:15: "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise." I love the word "walk" in that verse because it speaks about the way we live. Wisdom is not simply something we know. It affects the direction of our lives and the choices we make along the way.

Walking Circumspectly

Walking wisely requires paying attention. We cannot live carelessly and expect wisdom to guide our decisions. We need to consider where our choices are taking us, what influences are shaping us, and whether the things we are calling harmless are actually drawing us closer to Christ or farther away from Him.

This matters because we are called to strive together for the faith of the gospel of Christ. Our lives should not contradict the faith we say we believe. We are not saved because we have managed to become wise enough or good enough, but because of what Christ has done for us. Yet the grace that saves us also changes the way we want to live.

I am thankful that when I look back at my own foolishness, I don't have to pretend it never happened. I can acknowledge it for what it was. I can see the times I rejected counsel, followed my desires, and called something enjoyable that was not good for me. The answer isn't to remain trapped in shame over those choices. The answer is to learn from them and allow God's wisdom to shape what comes next.

Sometimes the mirror is exactly where we need to look. It is easy to wonder why someone else keeps making foolish choices, but wisdom asks us to examine our own lives too. Are there things I am calling fun that God calls foolish? Are there choices I keep making even though I already know where they lead? Am I listening to wisdom, or am I simply looking for permission to do what I have already decided to do?

Those are not always comfortable questions, but they are worthwhile ones. The wise person isn't someone who has never made a foolish decision. Wisdom is seen in learning to recognize foolishness for what it is and choosing a better way.

Don't let foolishness dress up as fun—
Allow God's wisdom to shape what comes next.

Before You Go

One of the things I am most thankful for is that God does not leave us where He finds us. If He did, I would still be making some of the same foolish choices I made years ago, probably wondering why things were not working out the way I wanted them to.

But that is not what Christ does for us.

When we come to Him, He does more than forgive what is behind us. He begins to change us. Sometimes that change happens in ways we can clearly see, and sometimes we only realize how much God has changed us when we look back and recognize that the things we once wanted no longer have the same hold on us.

That gives me hope because I know I still have growing to do. There are still things I need to understand, areas where I need wisdom, and moments when my first instinct may not be the right one. But I do not have to figure out how to change myself before coming to God. I can bring my weaknesses, my past mistakes, and even my present struggles to Him.

Jesus is faithful to continue His work in us.

So don't be discouraged if you can look back and see seasons of foolishness in your own life. Don't allow regret over who you once were to make you forget what Christ has done and what He is still doing. The person you were does not have to be the person you remain.

Keep coming to God's Word. Keep listening when He corrects you. Keep asking Him for wisdom. There is still more for us to learn, and thankfully, we have a patient Father who is willing to teach us.

Looking Forward with Hope

Today, I am grateful that I can look back at some of my own foolishness and not feel hopeless. Instead, I can see the patience and grace of God at work. He brought me through things I did not understand at the time, corrected me when I needed it, and continues to show me a better way.

And I believe He will continue doing the same for all of us who are willing to listen.