Hanging Out With Fools

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Leave the presence of a fool, Or you will not discern words of knowledge.

Proverbs 14:7 NASB

Today in America, millions of us are spending much of their available free time remaining in the presence of fools. Hour upon hour of valuable precious life is spent watching the train wrecks that are their lives. This is on both shows that bill themselves as entertainment or on alleged "news" programs that are all about some disturbed young woman's life and latest trip to rehab. In the days before television, each town may have had one or two disturbed people who would be considered freaks, and you would cross the street to avoid interacting with them. Or if you were feeling spiritual that day, you may try to talk to them in an effort to get them to turn their lives around, not to get their autographs. Thanks to the magic of television, those same kinds of folks are now "celebrities" and we are supposed to invite them into our living rooms each night for hours on end.

Of course, many of us only watch such things because it is like watching a train wreck. We are, at first, appalled but somehow fascinated by the horror of it all. In the end though, it does not matter that we come only to mock. Fools may make a mock of sin, but eventually, sin will mock the fool. Spend two hours each day for ten years learning of fools and their foolishness, and you cannot help but be a different person than you would be if you had decided to spend that same amount of time seeking out the company of the wise and stable.

I understand that the corporate media has no interest in making you wise, just getting your attention however they can. And it is always easier to go for the lowest common denominator. It takes a lot of work and talent to entertain through creativity and skill. Doing something outrageous is a lot easier. All you have to do to remain in the presence of fools is to ingest what the corporate media feeds you each day. It has never been easier to be dumbed down.

That's right. Dumbed down. The scripture says that such people will not discern words of knowledge. Now different translations say it differently, but I have observed the truth of it as expressed in this translation. I have found that it is increasingly difficult to make myself understood by people who are immersed in the pop culture. It seems they no longer have the ability to understand derious conversation. That is to say, they do "not discern words of knowledge". This does not seem to be a function of education or innate intelligence, but rather is a issue of conditioning. I find it very sad and disturbing.

I ask you today to make a conscious decision to leave the presence of foolish persons, in whatever form that presence may take. Thank you for reading and may God bless you all.