Are you a fool?

"Like the useless legs of one who is lame; so are wise words from the mouth of fools (Proverbs 26:7)"

Some lame disabilities are depicted by inactive limbs that have lost their sensation for movement. They cannot function for walking even though they are physically in place. Such legs/limbs are useless to the ones who own them because they can’t move them around.

In the same vein, speaking intelligent babbles and acting contrary is useless. Those words cannot impact the lives of the ones saying them let alone those that hear them.

I was inspired by this proverb to write this short piece on being a fool. I believe the proverb is a simile that best describes the perception of some famous Nigerians whose boisterous behaviors continuously plague the identity of the Nation...both home & abroad.

Let me start by defining the term ‘fool’ even though we already know and use it a lot!

Oxford dictionary defines a fool as 'a silly person or a person who lacks good sense of judgment'. I particularly like Webster’s definition which identifies a fool as 'a "harmlessly deranged person" or one lacking in common powers of understanding'. Let’s just say…behaving in a way contrary to what you advise yet expecting people to take you for your words…funny isn’t it?

We have used the word 'fool' so much that its inference has been watered down. We humorously use it to describe someone who is clowning around or who misses out on an obvious opportunity.

Homer Simpson...a perfect description for a fool! 

But the definition of the word still holds its meaning whether being used to describe someone messing around, missing an opportunity or even for a person of authority who has no integrity or wisdom!

Some Nigerian leaders for example are characterized as ‘wife beaters’, ‘drug dealers’, ‘irresponsible fathers’, ‘sex exploiters’ to name but a few. Yet, these same people have been placed on a pedestal of adoration and worse, they offer counsel publicly expecting their advises to be taken seriously. Like the image below…it’s not about how you perceive yourself rather the fruits of your character.

Isn't that a wonder why our youths slip further into irresponsibility & our society into decadence? Such role models that we have!

What else characterizes a fool like self-deceit?

It’s so ironic that we portray ourselves as 'most pious & intelligent' yet we commit the most ridiculous blunders & offences!

Does a drug dealer escape sentence only to become a person of authority a few years down the line & then you treat him like a war hero?! Or does a cheating, domestic violent person deny the charges only to be treated as someone honorable or as the victim?
Does changing the garment on the back of a slave automatically make him befitting for a king?!

While we may ‘succeed’ locally in getting people to regard us for what we say and not what we do, we cannot fool people internationally and importantly, we can’t fool God.
Here are my few thoughts concerning the subject. Can you share your thoughts as well?