“What a Fool Believes”
No, this brief article does not directly pertain to the Doobie Brothers’ number one hit from 1979, except that the thought processes may be similar. Proverbs 18:2 tells us: “A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart.” Joe Gilmore wrote: “The ‘fool’ is not so much one lacking mental powers, as one who misuses them; not one who does not reason, but reasons wrongly” (The Book of Proverbs, Bill Jackson, ed.). He may reason wrongly because his conclusions represent the way he would like things to be rather than the way they actually are. In the song, the fool desires to believe that he and his old flame might have a chance to rekindle their old romance (if even that was not his imagination).
The point in Proverbs 18:2 is broader; the gist of the verse seems to be that the fool does not care to understand anyone else’s opposing view; he only wants to express his own views, his own opinions. Probably, we have all been guilty of desiring to speak when we ought to be listening. Hearing another person out can eliminate friction and potential problems. We need to first make certain that we understand the point of view being expressed. Then, when it is our turn, we can express our thinking on the matter. Effective communication is sorely needed in today’s world, as is understanding another’s rationale. We may find that we are not as far apart as we thought. But even if we are, courtesy remains helpful.
Proverbs 29:11 states a similar truth: “A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back.” In this instance, a person is not interested even a little bit to hear what anyone else might have to say; he wants to get his opinion in, no matter what. The indication is that his emotions are guiding him. As one person said, “Speak your mind when you are upset and angry, and you will likely give the finest speech you will ever regret.” We often feel compelled to air out all our hostility toward someone or something. To make it sound even more convincing, we may tend to exaggerate. Your congenial editor, for example, has on various occasions bemoaned the 65 speed bumps on the street that leads to our church building from the south. In reality, there are only ten (but it actually seems like more).
Those annoying hindrances in the road don’t mind the exaggeration, but people do. We ought to avoid speaking all our mind—only being interested in saying what we feel—instead of listening to another’s views. Those who heard Jesus confess His Deity were outraged and could not wait to crucify Him (Mark 14:61-64). Apparently, it did not occur to them that He really was the Son of God. Or maybe they just did not want to hear the truth. In any case, they acted foolishly. They insisted on His death—and got it. They would have done better to have considered the evidence more carefully