Daily Devotional
Confirm If You Are A Fool
Text: Ecclesiastes 7:9
“Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry,
For anger rests in the bosom of fools.”
Message
In ordinary parlance a fool is a person who acts unwisely or imprudently; a silly person.
So, a person giving to unrestrained anger is a fool.
Solomon expressly states in Ecclesiastes 7:9, “Anger resides in the bosom of fools.” He describes an anger ready to burst out at even slight irritations because a person’s pride convinces him that even slight irritations simply should not happen to such a wonderful person as he is.
Not every anger makes one a fool. An anger born out of an appropriate response to suppressed truth, immoral living, and rejection of God’s will which signals something broken that needs fixing does not make one a fool.
Anger itself is not a sin, but the strong emotion, unrestrained, can lead very quickly to sin. As God said to Cain, “It’s desire is for you, but you must rule over it” (Genesis 4:7).
Anger can signal the medical condition called Intermittent explosive disorder (IED). This is a mental health condition marked by frequent impulsive anger outbursts or aggression. The episodes are out of proportion to the situation that triggered them and cause significant distress.
You are a fool if you don’t practice advance forgiveness or in the habit of letting go of any resentful feelings towards others. Ephesians 4:31 says, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.”
Jesus does not want us to hold bitter feelings toward others in our lives.
You are a fool if you don’t “flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”
You are a fool if you have a hasty temper.
You are a fool if you are in the habit of getting angry (or maybe “jealous” which make you tend to make poor decisions.
According to James 1:19-20, You are a fool if you are not one that is quick to listen, yet slow to speak, slow to anger.” This is because your anger does not produce God’s righteousness!
You are a fool if you don’t listen to the advice of your spouse
Anyone can become angry, that is easy and normal. But not to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way is foolishness. Unfortunately it is not within everybody’s power and is not easy!
To be angry when and where anger resolves nothing confirms you are a fool. Such display of anger only puts up your blood pressure.
You are a fool when you get angry as to let others’ mistakes punish you.
You are a fool if you seek first other things before the kingdom of God and it’s righteousness (Matthew 6:33).
Exodus 20:1–21 and Deuteronomy 5:1–23 says, “Honour thy father and thy mother, that you may enjoy more days”. Simply put water the root of your tree in life, that your tree may bud, have branches and bear you fruit to it. You are therefore a compound fool if you live in disobedience to this Commandment!
You are a fool if you are lazy or giving to pleasure instead of hardwork and diligence with integrity.
You are a fool if you say you can use your body any how for filthy lucre forgetting that your body is the temple of God.
You are a fool if you love money, the root of evils. Where your treasure is there is your heart.
You are a fool if you think Christianity is a tea party instead of a call to war as Soldiers of Christ Jesus.
You are a fool if you don’t call sin, disobedience, trespass, iniquity, unrighteousness and the likes by their names but keep calling them by other names, giving excuses for them or rationalizing them.
You are the worst of fools if you don’t fear (reverence) God and of the view that there is no God and when you refuse to take Jesus offer for your salvation.
Psalms 14:1, ” The fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt,
They have done abominable works,
There is none who does good.”
You are a fool after the order of Abner if you let Joab murder you (2 Samuel 3:33). The ostensible motive for the assassination was a desire to avenge Asahel, and this would be a sufficient justification for the deed according to the moral standard of the time (although Abner should have been safe from such a revenge killing in Hebron, which was a City of Refuge). Jesus is our place and City if Refuge. Be Wise. Run to Him now before death comes calling.
I refuse to continue to be a fool.