The Walk of the Wise and Foolish

 Paul’s admonition in Ephesians 5:15 to walk “not as fools but as wise” is always good advice.  As we start a new year it is especially good to consider just what that means.  Let’s take a look first at the negative side, what it means to walk as a fool.  Then we will see what we should replace that lifestyle with, the walk of the wise.

A.       The Walk of a Fool

        1.  A fool lives as though there is no God—Psalm 53:1, “The fool has said in his heart, there is no God.”
2.  A fool thinks his own way is right—Proverbs 12:13, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes.”
3.  A fool mocks at sin—Proverbs 14:9—“Fools mock at sin.”
4.  A fool despises his parents—Proverbs 15:5a, “A fool despises his father's instruction…”
5.  A fool cleans up the outside but leaves the inside dirty—Luke 11: 39-40, “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness.  Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?’”
6.  A fool plans without God—Luke 12: 19-20, “And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.’  But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'”
7.  A fool does not truly believe in Christ—Luke 24: 25, “Then He said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!’” 

Let’s see how we should walk in 2007

B.  The Walk of the Wise

            1.  The wise will use every opportunity for the Lord—Ephesians 5:16, “Redeeming    the time, because the days are evil.”
2.  The wise will understand the will of the Lord—Ephesians 5:17, “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
3.  The wise will be filled with the Holy Spirit—Ephesians 5:18, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.”
4.  The wise will have a God honoring song in his/her heart—Ephesians 5:19, “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”
5.  The wise will be thankful—Ephesians 5:20, “Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
6.  The wise will humbly submit to one another in the fear of the Lord—Ephesians 5:21, “Submitting to one another in the fear of God.”

Will you live as a fool or as the wise in 2007?