As a child growing up, I sometimes cringed when one of my friends would call me stupid. I know that it was only his way of communicating a childish insult, with no real offense or meanness intended, so I usually just laughed it off and returned the insult. But there were times when I knew a person truly intended to hurt me by using that word. Now, I know it’s only a word, so why should it hurt so much when it’s hurled your way in anger or contempt?
I know most people, when asked what stupid means, will likely say “slow of mind” or “unintelligent.” Those are two of the definitions given by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, but there are others that offer more insight into why that word carries so much weight in the Bible. Some definitions that shed light on the subject are: a) slow of mind; obtuse, b) given to unintelligent acts or decisions: acting in an unintelligent or careless manner, c) lacking intelligence or reason (brutish), dulled in feeling or sensation, d) marked by or resulting from unreasoned thinking or acting: Senseless.
I chose to write about this because, when I read the news or see and hear what passes for news on TV, I am often left wondering, “How did the world become so stupid? What are they thinking? Are they even capable of reasoned thought?”
We are living in a time right now with most of the world displaying a high level of stupidity, the result of a carefully planned assault on reason and logic by Satan and his minions. Trust me, they have been working on this evil plan for many centuries, and they seem to be making remarkable headway toward their goal – the complete ‘stupidization’ of mankind.
World Stupidity
Now, it’s not really surprising that so many in the world fall victim to this evil plan, since they are living in a blinded state – a spiritual darkness – the darkness of the unsaved human heart that keeps them from knowing truth or seeing how stupid they actually are.
Romans 1:21-22 says: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools….”
So, we should not be surprised that so many in the world fall victim to the spirit of deception at work in the world, causing unsaved people to do and say things that are utterly unreasonable, illogical and, well, just plain stupid. Satan has worked feverishly for many centuries to make man do unreasonable and illogical acts that are in complete contradiction to the commandments of God. It is very easy to see how much progress the old serpent has made when we hear and see such blatant acts of stupidity every day.
For example, even a small child with clear eyesight can see that there are distinct physical differences between a male child and a female child. They may not know why those differences exist, and until they reach a certain age should not know, but the Word of God clearly states the reason in Genesis 1:27-28,
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
The physical differences between males and females are an absolute requirement for human reproduction to take place and fulfill God’s command to Adam and Eve. Other than stupid scientists trying to play God by cloning human beings in a laboratory, there is no way that human reproduction can occur without the specific attributes of a male joining with a female. But, the stupid world still pushes the narrative that those physical differences “do not matter, only that two people, even of the same physical sex ‘love each other.’” They seem unconcerned that, should their stupid plan succeed, in a matter of a few decades the human race would cease to exist.
Yeah, no problem with that, except that Satan would have won his contest with God, and evil would rule the entire universe forever. As I said, all the stupidity of the world, though alarming, is not really surprising seeing as they are completely influenced by Satan.
The Stupidity/Foolishness of ‘Phony’ Christians
What IS surprising is that so many who call themselves Christian display, in many cases, the same level of stupidity as their worldly counterparts. We as Christians are supposed to exhibit the same traits as did Jesus the Messiah while He walked on the earth. In fact, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word ‘Christian’ means “Manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus; Christlike; to be Christlike.”
I have read all the words of Jesus in several Bible translations, and nowhere could I find one statement I would consider illogical, unreasonable or stupid. He always spoke with reason, logic and absolute truth; and yes, despite the foolish claims of the world to the contrary, absolute truth DOES exist. They simply do not seek it. It is, always has been, and always will be, found only in the word of God. The truth is always reasonable and logical, and is never stupid. To be Christlike, all Christians are expected to be reasonable and logical. The world, however, prefers their own manmade version of “truth.”
The Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 5:15, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools (stupid ones), but as wise.”
Paul used the Greek word akribos (Strong’s 199) translated as circumspectly, but also as exactly, diligently and perfectly. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines circumspectly as, a) careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences: prudent. Other synonyms for circumspect are: cautious, chary and wary, and all three mean “prudently watchful and discreet in the face of danger or risk.”
Cautious implies the exercise of forethought usually prompted by fear or danger. Chary implies a cautious reluctance to give, act, or speak freely. Wary emphasizes suspiciousness and alertness in watching for danger, and cunning in escaping it. However, circumspect suggests less fear, and stresses the surveying of all possible consequences before acting or deciding. This is the best translation for Paul’s words since we are not to walk in fear, but are to use the wisdom of God to be guided in everything that we do or say.
A person who walks and talks as instructed by Paul will NOT act stupidly, or foolishly.
Yet, there are many so-called Christians in the mainline denominations, many of whom are the top leaders in their churches, who refuse to recognize God’s Word as the ‘wisdom’ that guides the Christian life. They now openly accept homosexuals, lesbians and transgenders as ‘ordained’ ministers. They seem to think the words of Paul, as written in chapter one of his letter to the believers in Rome, are no longer relevant.
In this chapter, Paul states that “men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly (shameful), and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient” [not proper, not fitting] (Romans 1:27-28).
Such actions on the part of those who are supposed to be called as ministers – who should be the shepherds of their flocks, having the responsibility to lead them in the ways of wisdom, or God’s Word – are the epitome of foolishness, or stupidity.
There are also many in so-called Christian leadership positions that now openly advocate abortion on demand. In other words, if they deem abortion to be acceptable, then murder is now an acceptable Christian action. However, God said in Revelation 21:8, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Again, the actions of these phonies are equivalent to thumbing the nose at God, and that is incredibly stupid.
Anti-Israel Stance & Stupidity
Further, there are now many who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ (who was born a Jew, and still is) but claim that Israel no longer has any place in God’s eternal plan, and instead say that the Church (The Body of Christ) has taken Israel’s place as the “apple of God’s eye.” Once again, they need to learn what walking circumspectly means before they open their foolish mouths and place their stupidity on display for all to see.
God entered into many covenants with Israel, most of which required certain actions by both parties in order to remain in effect, but He entered into an “eternal covenant” with Abraham (Genesis 15), and no action was necessary on Abraham’s part since God Himself fulfilled all the parts of that covenant while Abraham was in a deep sleep. If God has now broken that covenant, He has lost His authority, Satan has won, and there is no hope for any of us. But trust me; nothing could be farther from the Truth.
God has never yet forsaken Israel, and the future of those Jews who survive the tribulation is secured as an integral part of God’s eternal kingdom. Those who continue to leave Israel out of the plan of God are guilty of playing the fool and being amazingly stupid.
Viewing the recent news from almost all the mainline Protestant denominations, where so many have decided to involve themselves and their members in the BDS (boycott, divestment and sanction) movement against Israel – while consistently refusing to speak out against the Palestinian Authority that teaches their children to hate and kill Jews – it is so blatantly anti-God that it is almost laughably stupid.
One such group, the United Church of Christ (UCC), still urges its members to divest themselves of any stock issued by a company that does business with Israel. If this is their honest, heartfelt belief, then all of the various entities of the UCC should comply, right? Actually, no, because the pension fund for UCC still is mostly invested in blacklisted stocks, where they are doing quite well financially. So, not only is this group on the wrong side of the Israel issue with God, they are two-faced about it as well. How stupid is this?
Conclusion
I, like every other person born on this earth, started life completely ignorant. Ignorance, or a lack of knowledge, is neither shameful nor a sin, because knowledge and wisdom come with the experiences of living, coupled with the study of God’s Word. Wisdom, the ability to use knowledge, is a gift of God easily obtained for the asking.
James, the brother of Jesus, said, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:5-8).
Just a quick thought: Can a double-minded man be walking circumspectly? I think not.
The Psalms and Proverbs contain more than twenty verses that speak of wise people and fools and their corresponding actions. In all cases, people are urged to walk in wisdom and not be foolish. In both the Old and New Testaments, we are cautioned to walk not as fools do, but as the wisdom of God dictates. In many of those verses, the final status of a fool is described, and it is not pretty. Knowing the end of a fool, why would any person who claims to be a member of the Body of Christ choose to be stupid?
The answer to this question is: You do NOT have to be stupid. But, you will need to make a conscious decision to avoid it. By the same token, allowing oneself to be stupid is as much of a choice as the decision to avoid it. Stupidity must be actively fought whenever it is encountered.
There is a serious enemy of our souls working to get everyone to accept the stupidity that is now so prevalent. He uses deception, trying to make evil sound good, and good sound evil, and he is very experienced at it. But, deception is not compelling, nor is it mandatory. What do I mean? Deception can be countered only by truth, and, truth IS compelling. The world would like us all to believe that, just because they say something they believe to be true, we should accept it as ‘gospel’ and walk in it. Doing so would put us in the group described by Jesus as “Blind leaders of the blind.”
The fact that the world walks in darkness does not make it mandatory for us to follow them; on the contrary, walking circumspectly will lead us in the opposite direction of the world. To avoid deception, the kind that can, and will, damn one’s soul to an eternal hell, it is mandatory to follow the Word and only the Word.
When questioned by His disciples concerning the prophetic words he had just uttered, and the timing of the end of the age, Jesus said, “Take heed that no man deceive you.”
Interesting choice of words used by Jesus; he said, “Take heed.” A close examination of that phrase sounds very similar to “walking circumspectly.” Jesus was warning His disciples to keep their eyes wide open, watching everything closely and making sure that whatever they saw and heard matched up with His words.
This warning is so much more important today since we live in a world much more evil and darker than the original twelve followers of Jesus did. Just because we live in a world where stupidity is so rampant, and deception comes at us every minute of every day, doesn’t mean we must be a victim of either.
Stay focused on Jesus and His words, then deception and stupidity can, and will, be avoided.