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Flaunted Folly

“In everything the prudent acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly.”

– Proverbs 13:16

Watch any given movie or television show and one quickly realizes that the above Proverb is often ignored in our society. Most laughs are had at the expense of someone’s foolish ways – regardless of whether they object of our ridicule “realizes” that we are laughing at their expense. Folly is most definitely flaunted – oftentimes quite explicitly as the mire that the antagonist finds themselves in is often the source of their own amusement as well as ours.

The challenge for the Christian is to not give in to this cultural norm. When we experience the consequences of our sin, it shouldn’t cause us amusement. Instead, we should be motivated to act wisely, to be known for our prudence rather than the spectacle we make of ourselves. Our actions don’t merely affect our reputation; they affect how others perceive the One we profess to serve. Laughing at our sins demonstrates an unwillingness to take a violation of God’s standards seriously, which consequently indicates we don’t take God very seriously either.

This doesn’t mean that we can’t laugh. Laughter and joy is a gift from God. However, let us be mindful of what causes us to chuckle and make sure that the things we laugh at are the same things that the One who gave us the gift of laughter would also find amusing. Let us, therefore, act prudently – in our life and in out laughter.

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Bits & Pieces (10/2/12)

  • Gladness in Weakness – Although I don’t completely agree with this writer’s (perhaps former) perceptions of what makes a good mom, it was a great reminder that motherhood is not primarily about me but about what God wants to accomplish through it.

 

  • American Men Don’t Sing – I’m so grateful to be married to a man who does sing – and boisterously so! However, Allistair Begg makes an interesting point about why so many men in American churches seem not to. (H/T)

 

 

 

  • What is Morality Other Than Harm? – “There is certainly wisdom in his acknowledgment that harm to others, and particularly any intentional harm, is immoral. The problem is the restriction of [t]his definition to others as understood in a radically individualist scheme. If we restrict morality to that which directly causes harm only to specific persons, we will eliminate an absolutely essential moral horizon — the community of which individuals are a part.” Make sure to click on the video link at the top of the post to hear the conversation between Al Mohler and Tim Keller.

 

  • The Seduction of the World – “The world is a seducer. It seeks to attract our attention and our devotion. It remains close at hand, visible and enticing. It eclipses our view of heaven. What is seen vies for our attention. It entices our eyes, preventing us from watching for a better country whose builder and maker is God. It pleases us—much of the time, anyway— and, alas, we often live our lives to please it. That is where conflict ensues, for pleasing the world seldom overlaps with pleasing God.”
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