The Bible clearly describes foolish behavior and warns us about it.
Some people behave foolishly on a sporadic basis; others are consistently foolish. As we talk about foolish people, we need to be aware that we could be talking about ourselves as well. None of us is exempt from any of these foolish characteristics. I spent ten years doing my own thing, walking away from my commitment to Jesus Christ, and I shake my head as I think of how foolishly I behaved in those years.
We will look to God’s Word to define foolish behavior for ourselves and look again to tell us what our responsibility is when we deal with that kind of person. Not all foolish people have all these characteristics. You may know foolish people with only one of these traits, but it is so pronounced that it consumes them.
What is foolish behavior?
Denying, disregarding, or rebelling against God
The fool says in his heart “There is no God” (Psalm 14:1).
It is very foolish to ignore the living God. In fact, nothing could be more foolish. And this applies not only to those who are outright atheists or agnostics but also to those who live as though there is no God. If you asked them, many would say, “I believe there is a God.” But nothing in their life or lifestyle shows any acknowledgement of God. They live as though God does not exist. The Bible says they are fools.
Slandering, lying, deceiving
He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool (Proverbs 10:18).
Foolish people don’t hesitate to lie. They are big on running other people down. Their mouths often get them into trouble.
Just think of the foolish people you know. Isn’t their mouth one of their biggest problems? When our mouths are out of control, we, too, are foolish.