Some Kind of Fool
I say again, let no one think of me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little.
2 Corinthians 11:16
What Kind of Fool Am I?
It is important and even critical that we understand our state of mind in order to determine our priorities and how we expect to see those priorities come to fruition. One of the things that helps us make this determination is whether or not the issue makes any sense. To exercise devotion for something that makes no sense can not only cause shame but can lead to death. In other words, to be a fool over something that poses a risk is hazardous. It would be good to ask the question, what kind of fool are you?
In the text, Paul was addressing his concerns for the Church at Corinth. There were false apostles who had slandered Paul’s name in the Corinthian fellowship. While they were casting themselves as “super apostles,” they were discrediting Paul and Barnabas as outdated fools. They boasted themselves as having letters of approval and credentials, while all Paul and Barnabas had to show for their Christian credentials were scars and persecutions. In his letter, Paul expressed concern that they had been led astray by these false leaders and wanted them to know that while they were amassing many faith teachers they only had one father in the faith and one who loved them sincerely. Paul then proceeded to ask them in essence, what kind of fool do you think I am? He went on to say, if I am considered a fool, then let me do some confident boasting of my experiences of how God has used me. Paul was literally challenging them to prove their commitment to Christ by demonstrating what they had done for the Church. I say again, let no one think of me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little. According to Paul, if he was considered a fool, at least he had something legitimate on which to state his claim. He was, in the truest sense, a fool for Christ.
Another interesting aspect of foolishness has to do with a person’s state of mind and their attitude to that which occupies their mind. His was a true devotion to his Lord and Savior. When Paul confronted the Galatian Church for abandoning their commitment to Christ in the pursuit of righteousness through the Law, Paul accused them of being foolish. O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth. Galatians 3:1. He went on to ask them how they could be saved by Grace and then seek to be justified by keeping the Law of Moses. They were religious fools for thinking such a thing. It is only Jesus who saves, and only faith in Christ that justifies the sinner before God. To believe anything else would indeed by foolish.
It should not come as a surprise that followers of Jesus Christ are classified as fools, lunatics, and fanatics. These were some of the same insults that they hurled at Jesus as He set out on His mission to save mankind. Even Jesus’ mother and brothers tried to take Him home because they thought that He was “beside Himself.” Yet in the sense of someone being totally sold out to something, Jesus was “beside Himself” and was determined to complete the will of His Father. For that reason, the religious leaders called Him a ‘mad man.’ We might well conclude that if they called Jesus a fool, they do the same for His devoted followers.
In 1960, MGM Records released a song by Connie Francis entitled, Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool. So, I must ask the question, whose fool are you? Are you a fool for the things of this world? Have the pleasures and treasures of this life stolen your heart and caused you to be preoccupied with being rich, being famous, and being addicted to the temporary pleasures of this life? If that’s the case, then you are a fool for the things of this life. You are a fool for things that will only last for a season. They will fade away and you will be left hopelessly lost. If you are going to be a fool, be a good one for the right reason. Be a fool for Christ.
Are you the Wrong Kind of Fool?
Becoming the wrong kind of fool is not that hard to do. There were two men that come to mind when we think of Biblical examples. One was Saul in the Old Testament and the other was Saul in the New Testament. Both Sauls were of the tribe of Benjamin. Both were devoted to their mission of serving God, although Saul of the New Testament started off with wrong intentions.
The Old Testament Saul was humble and was anointed by God to be the first King of Israel. He went out to lead the armies of the Lord in battle and was doing very well until he started pursuing his own way. The Lord sent him on a specific task to destroy the Amalekites, but Saul did not obey the Lord. He wanted to retain a trophy from the battle, so he spared some of the animals along with the Amalekite king Agag. These actions turned Saul into a fool. In the foolishness of his ways, he would have fits of rage. In his folly, he even tried to destroy the man that God had anointed to replace him. How did Saul turn from the truth to folly? He stopped listening and obeying God.
The situation was quite different for the Saul of the New Testament. He started off as a fool. He thought that the followers of Jesus Christ were heretics and breakers of the Hebrew Law. In his zeal to do away with them, the Bible says he reeked havoc on the Church. He would have continued in his rage, but the Lord met him on the Damascus Road and turned him from the path of foolishness to the true faith. Saul of Tarsus became known Paul the Apostle. After that encounter, Paul had a different kind of zeal. Paul had a different message to share with others. Paul was still a fool, because of his love and commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. Both Sauls are classic examples of people who changed their priorities in life. One for the good and the other for bad. One chose to obey God and the other chose to disobey God. Both men were fools for what they believed in.
It should not come as a surprise that the priorities for a lot of Christians is based on getting everything possible out of this life. Such fickled priorities interfere with carrying out the will of God. The result is that many are led into foolish goals in life because they believe that you can ask God for what you want and He will provide it. While it is certainly true that God does provide for all our needs, it is not true that God will provide everything we want. He grants us blessings of material things according to His Will. In some instances, God does not give us things because it would turn our hearts away from Him. This would only result in foolish decisions and wasted lives. God does not want you to become a fool for the things of this life because this world is only temporary. If we are considered fools, lets be fools for things that are eternal and do not fade with time. Let me ask again, what kind of fool are you?
Signs of a True Fool
Paul shared with the Corinthian believers that he wore the marks of someone who was a fool for Christ. The imprisonments, the persecutions, the beatings, the toil, the ship wrecks, and concern for the Churches were all the evidence they needed to prove his love and zeal for God. If Paul was considered a fool, then he was a true fool for Christ.
Here are the signs of a true fool for Christ. A true fool will speak up for what they believe. Proverbs says a fool speaks what’s on his mind. That was Paul. Every opportunity given to him, he would go on and on about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. At his trial before Festus, Paul talked so much about the love of Jesus that the king had to stop him. Festus said, “Paul, you are beside yourself, much learning has made you mad.” Acts 26:24. Festus did not understand that Jesus meant everything to Paul. Not only was Jesus all that Paul wanted to talk, to Paul, Jesus was the best thing that ever happened in his life.
The other sign of a true fool is when they have given their mind over to something or to someone. Paul was obsessed with knowing nothing more except Christ. In Philippians 2:5, he wrote, let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Jesus was all there was to talk about because Jesus was all there was to think about. When you stop and consider, what is there really in this world system to talk about? Let’s act like Paul, and set our minds on Christ.
Lastly, the sign of a true fool is when they live like they are in another world. That was Paul; always living as if he was on his way to heaven. He would encourage believers to set their minds on things above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God. If that is where we are going and if that is where we will spend the endless ages, then we all need to become ‘true fools’ and set our affection on that world. Won’t you join Paul and countless other believers and become a fool for Christ.