Psalm 14 – What Is a Fool?

(this transcript has been lightly edited for readability)

Well, like every other Psalm, Psalm 14 is in the Bible because you and I need it. My title for
Psalm 14 is, “What Is a Fool?” So, if you want to be wise and you want to have wisdom shape
everything you think, say, choose, speak, do, then you have to be able to recognize what
foolishness is.

Now I’m going to say some things that at first will surprise you but hang in with me. A fool is
not defined as someone who says and does stupid things. A fool is not someone who espouses
wrong or illogical political positions. A fool is not to be defined as someone who squanders
opportunity or money. A fool is not someone who is full of himself, who is comfortable with
injustice, is disrespectful or unkind.

Now maybe you’re thinking, “Well, if these people are not fools, then who is?” The problem
with all of these definitions is that they are more about what a fool does and not what makes a
fool a fool in the first place.

What is it that causes a person to be a fool, that makes a person foolish? Well, Psalm 14:

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
there is none who does good.

The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man,

to see if there are any who understand,
who seek after God.

They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt;
there is none who does good,
 not even one.

Have they no knowledge, all the evil doers

who eat up my people as they eat bread,
and they do not call upon the Lord?

(And the Psalm goes on.)

Now, I’m about to hurt your feelings, but the definition of a fool in Psalm 14, repeated in
Romans 3, includes us all. We all like to say we’re on the wisdom side of things. But what Psalm
14 reminds us of is that one of the terrible things that sin does to all of us is sin reduces all of us
to fools. And what is the epicenter of that foolishness? It’s a denial of the existence and presence
of God.

Now you’ve got to stay with me - not necessarily intellectual, not necessarily theological, but
living as God doesn’t exist, no matter what your theology is. Living in your marriage, living in
your parenting, living in your life of money, living in your life of sex, as if God doesn’t exist. 2
Corinthians 5:15 says that Jesus came so “…that those who live might no longer live for
themselves…” There it is. I’m not living for God, my life itself is a denial of his existence, his
authority, and my need of his grace.

You see, it is the existence of God that is the ultimate fact that gives fact to every other fact in
the universe. Everything in creation, every creative thing ever done by human beings made in the
image of God, points to his existence.

You could argue that the four most important words of the Bible are the first four words, “In the
beginning God.” If God is on site, then everything in the entire world changes.

So, I have to ask you the question, “Are you a fool?” I don’t mean that you don’t have God as a
theological starting point in your formal belief system, but do you live as a fool? Do you live
whole days acting as if God doesn’t exist? Do you live with that state of God-amnesia in your
parenting, when you handle your money, in your sexual life?

The epicenter foolishness is a denial of God at street level where I live every day.
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion

1. Prior to watching this video on Psalm 14, how would you have defined foolishness or
identified a fool? Who are some people in your life that you would name as fools, and why are
their life decisions or lifestyle foolish? More specifically, how have you, or why do you, distance
yourself from them? There is an abundance of Proverbial wisdom and instruction is avoiding
fools! (See Proverbs 14:7, 23:9, and 26:4-5 for just a few examples) But, in the context of this
study on Psalm 14, how have you self-righteously, like the Pharisee in the temple (Luke 18:11),
distanced yourself from fools in your life and considered yourself more righteous, by your own
merit and works, than you actually are?

2. How have you acted “like a fool” – according to the definition of Psalm 14 – this week?
Identify at least one area of your life where you operated as if God did not exist, or that you did
not need him, or that his law did not matter. Be specific. How did you think, what did you desire
or dream about, how did you act, or what did you say, that was only possible because you acted
in isolation, like a fool, as if God was not present in that time and place? What were the
consequences of that foolishness? Have you confessed and repented of your foolishness, both
vertically to God and horizontally to the person you sinned against in your moment of
foolishness? How can you act wisely when the same or similar situation repeats itself in the
future?

Conversation Prompts to Use with Children

For Younger Children: Let’s talk about two words and two kinds of people. The two words are
foolishness and wisdom, and the two kinds of people are fools and the wise. Do you know what
these words mean? Wise people obey God and follow the wisdom in the Bible, and foolish
people are those who don’t. Why do you think they don’t obey God and follow the wisdom in
the Bible? (Because they don’t think that they need God or his wisdom or his help) Did you
know that mommy and daddy can be fools sometimes? (Perhaps confess an area of your life
when you acted like a Psalm 14 fool and even more specifically, sinned against your children.
Use this as an opportunity to seek their forgiveness and represent repentance) Why is it a wise
decision to obey God and remember that he is with us all the time?
For Older Children: Who are some of the fools in your school, on your team, or in your social
circle? Why do you think they are fools? How would you define foolishness, or stupidity? What
stupid decisions did they make recently? Why do you think they made those decisions? What
were the consequences? By that same definition, are you a fool sometimes? What was a silly,
funny, even innocent mistake, that you made recently? (Laugh about being foolish) Why did you
make that choice in that moment? What were (or are) the consequences? The Bible has a higher
standard and deeper definition of being a fool, and did you know that mom and dad, by the
definition of Psalm 14, are fools sometimes? (Perhaps confess an area of your life when you
acted like a Psalm 14 fool and even more specifically, sinned against your children. Use this as
an opportunity to seek their forgiveness and represent repentance) What is one area where you
can submit to the existence, presence, and authority of God in your life?

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