Are you a fool?

I read a joke my sister sent me the other day about there being a holiday for everyone...even fools. The scripture reference in that joke was this Psalm 14:1 "The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." ....."

As I laughed at the joke, I also wondered if there are times that I am the fool saying there is no God? Ok, I've not said it out loud, but have my actions said that. When I was growing up, my parents would quote that little phrase "actions speak louder than words". They would warn us that who we were with and what we did in times of stress or play actually said more about us than our actual words.

There's a new phrase I've been hearing more frequently. Living out loud. So I wonder what God hears in my actions.

When I participate in gossip, am I really saying that I don't believe God hates gossipers?

When I omit some important fact in a conversation that would otherwise, if shared, place the responsibility or blame on me, do I really think God doesn't know I am lying through my front teeth? Do I really think that God excludes me from His wrath for lying?

When I am unkind and have no compassion for those people I come into contact with everyday, including the people I live with, am I thumbing my nose at God and ignoring His commandments?

I have to wonder about this. Because if you look at the entire verse of that scripture it says, "Psalm 14:1 "The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good."

So I take a little closer look at two words; corrupt and vile. Corrupt means "guilty of dishonest practices, as bribery; lacking integrity; crooked" Vile means "wretchedly bad or highly offensive, unpleasant, or objectionable."

So, I conclude that my actions are saying "There is no God". Because I have not always refrained from gossip. I have not always told the truth all the time. I have not always chosen to take the higher standard and walk away when others are engaged in questionable conversations. By association, by staying around, I am guilty by association. Verdict: I am a fool.

But there is hope!! God loves us! He will and does forgive us the moment we repent and ask Him. God is hearing my actions BUT He's also right there when we need to ask for forgiveness. One of the greatest scriptures of all times says it all. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9)

Put another way by the Message version of the Bible "If we claim that we're free of sin, we're only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won't let us down; he'll be true to himself. He'll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we've never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God. ".

The question is "Are you a fool?" I am. I am a repented fool. I am thankful that God is there waiting to hear my confession and extend grace and mercy when I repent.