A Fool Lacks Discipline

“Show me a conceited person and I will show you someone who is arrogant, proud, and inconsiderate”.    Prov. 21:24  GNT

The Book of Proverbs gives us insight as to the character traits of a fool.

I hope to set a foundation to stand upon that will give enlightenment to encourage us all to examine our hearts and seek the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to rid us of any fleshly fool within.

Hopefully, we can get a realization of how easy it is to allow our emotions and flesh to bring this folly upon us. 

We all slip by acting or saying something we usually regret later. 

With the empowerment of the Holy Spirit through conviction we can guard our thoughts, emotions and our mouth.  We can overcome our foolishness by simply asking Him for help.   With repentance and forgiveness we can move from folly to wisdom.

The fool is unrealistic about himself in that he overestimates his knowledge and abilities.  He fails to see things as they are.   Reality is distorted by his distorted outlook on life.   He lives in deception and denial!

He lacks discipline!   The fool looks upon self-control as a needless and useless denial of present pleasure.   Because of this, every area of his life lacks discipline. 

His is undisciplined with his temper and mouth! 

“A fool expresses all his emotions, but a wise person controls them”. Prov. 29:11 GW

“Prudent people don't flaunt their knowledge;
talkative fools broadcast their silliness”.   Prov. 12:23  MSG Bible

“Wise men store up learning, but the foolish will be destroyed with their mouths”.  Prov. 10:14  NLV

A fool is unreliable in His words.  They are always to be questioned.  They are usually a liar, a deceiver and a slander.

“Liars secretly hoard hatred;
fools openly spread slander”.   Prov. 10:18 MSG Bible

Even what the fool believes to be true may be only his worthless opinion.

Try as you like, attempting to teach a fool is frustrating at best, and often painful.  Whenever a fool is faced with wisdom and instruction, he will reject it.

“Because they hated much learning, and did not choose the fear of the Lord.  They would not listen when I told them what they should do.  They laughed at all my strong words.  So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own plans.  For the foolish will be killed by their turning away.  The trust that fools put in themselves will destroy them”.   Prov. 1:29-32  NLV

The folly of a fool is deep-seated.  No matter how hard one strives to rid the fool of his folly, such efforts end in failure.    A fool and his folly are seemingly inseparable.

He cannot even learn from his own mistakes.  Given the opportunity, he will repeat his folly:

“As a dog returns to its vomit,
so a fool repeats his foolishness”.  Prov. 26:11 NLT

It is ironic, but true, that while the fool refuses to be taught, he is eager to teach others from his abundance of “wisdom”!