BBD 06.07.06 Acting Like a Fool
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
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06.07.06
Acting Like a Fool
Do not be overly wicked, nor be foolish: why should you die before your
time? - Ecclesiastes 7:17.
Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your
God.'" - Matthew 4:7.
A man was killed by a lioness when he climbed down into the lion's
enclosure. A spokesperson for the Kiev zoo said, "The man shouted 'God will
save me, if he exists', lowered himself by a rope into the enclosure, took
his shoes off and went up to the lions. A lioness went straight for him,
knocked him down and severed his carotid artery." There were a large number
of people at the zoo on a Sunday evening when this occurred.
How would you define a fool? Here are some definitions that I found:
somebody considered to lack good sense or judgment; a person who acts
unwisely; one who lacks good sense, judgment or comprehension, or who fails
to display these qualities on a specific occasion; and, to act in an
irresponsible or foolish manner. It does appear that the man killed by the
lioness at the Kiev zoo was demonstrating many of the characteristics of
these definitions. He does appear to have been lacking in good judgment, and
wisdom. He also appeared to be acting irresponsibly.
According to King Solomon, whom many accord the acclaim of being the wisest
man who ever lived, you can die before your time. Meaning some die before
the number of their days have been completed because they acted in a foolish
way. Because of their foolishness, or lack of wisdom, or lack of good
judgment they die before they should have died. Climbing down into an
enclosure with lions is an act of foolishness. Waving a golf club over your
head in a thunderstorm would also be an act of foolishness.
The man who died from the attack of the lioness was not only a fool but he
was also involved in something else. What was it? He was tempting God. He
was demanding that God prove His existence by protecting him from harm. The
man shouted, "God will save me, if he exists." God has continually given
mankind evidences that He exists. Creation itself is a witness to the
existence of God. Every human being is a visible witness that there is a
God. Look up at the sky at night at the countless stars and again you see
evidence of the existence of God. To demand that God protect you from harm
to prove His existence is an act of tempting God.
When we tempt God, we are not only committing a sin but we are also acting
as a fool would act. To some extent every time we sin we are tempting God.
We are saying, "I know you don't want me to do this, but I want to do it so
I am going to do it anyway." That is an act of tempting God. It is also
evidence that we are fools when we sin. We know better and we know that "the
wages of sin is death" but we do it anyway. Foolish isn't it? Have you been
acting like a fool? Have you been tempting God? Stop it!
Copyright © 2006. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
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UPDATE - PRAYER REQUEST: Dear Friends, I had two polyps removed from my
vocal cords on the 18th of May. It went well and the biopsy was okay. The
doctor did not want me to preach for two weeks and thought it look good at
my post op appointment. However, after preaching a funeral last Friday,
performing a wedding Saturday and preaching Sunday morning the problem is
back and I almost was unable to finish the sermon. Today it is hurting
again. I am not going to preach again for about three weeks but am concerned
whether I will be well then or not. Please continue to pray for my voice to
be healed. Thanks for all of your prayers! Ed Wrather.
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