Drawn to the Foolish

"But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him

and consulted the young men

who had grown up with him

and were serving him."

2 Chronicles 10:8

Rehoboam, son and successor of king Solomon, stuck with his foolish young peers, preferring their irrational advice to that of his father's wise counselors.  Thus, he succeeded in breaking the kingdom in two.

I am similarly drawn to make foolish choices.  Why is that?

Appealing.  My sin nature is all about pleasing me and my desires.  In my flesh, I am lord.  Consequently, if I am to let my natural self lead me, influencing me in the hundreds of choices I make a day, I will find myself doing what is contrary to God's will for my life (Galatians 5:16-18).

When someone close to me causes pain, either intentionally or by accident, I will then seek revenge, actively looking for a way to get back at the person who hurt me.  Or when I taste success and receive attention for my achievements, I will use it as an opportunity to make much of my own talents and efforts, elevating myself in the process.  Or when I have some free time I will use it to catch up on the entertainment options that lead my heart away from Jesus.

I am drawn to foolish choices because they appeal to my sin nature.

Sounds Good.  I know in my heart what God wants me to do, give up or turn away from.  Inward struggle ensues as His holy conviction is not what I want to hear.  In order to appease my conscience, I then seek out advice from those who will say what sounds good to me (2 Timothy 4:3).

King Ahab, leader of Israel, had a similar problem with seeking advice.  He wanted to join with the king of Judah, Jehoshaphat, in attacking the Syrians in order to regain a city that belonged to them.  Jehoshaphat wisely suggested seeking the Lord's direction so Ahab gathered 400 prophets who all advised him to carry out his plans.  One prophet, however, Ahab avoided because he "never prophesied anything good." (1 Kings 22:8)  Sure enough, God used Micaiah to warn Ahab against attacking Syria.  Still, Ahab went ahead with his plans and soon met his demise, just as Micaiah had predicted (1 Kings 22).

God warns me against relying on my own rationale, common sense or insight (Proverbs 3:5).  When I use my own standards and line of thinking as a guide, I will always choose what is contrary to God's will for my life.

I am drawn to foolish choices because they sound good to me.

Wrong Goal.  There are many reasons I do what I do, but if I examine my purpose or intended outcome, I will discover what drives me.  For instance, when I water my garden, it is my goal to provide life-giving water to my plants in a way that wastes as little as possible yet provides the maximum amount to the roots without wetting the leaves. As a result, I aim the end of the hose toward the base of the plants.  When my neighbor's toddler comes to help, however, her goal is to have fun and get wet.  As a result, she sprays the water up in the air and rarely provides much water to the vegetation that needs it.

It is the same with life.  If it is my goal to glorify God and make much of His name in every decision I make, my choices will tend to line up with His Word.  If it is my rights I intend to defend, or my agenda I mean to advance, or my feelings I aim to protect, then my choices will conflict with God's will for my life.

When faced with unfair treatment, godly ambition will lead me to keep quiet and pray but selfish objectives will end in my attempts to defend my entitlements and liberties.  When coming to a crossroads, a heart bent on lifting up God's name will lead me to submit to His plan for my life while a self-centered focus will result in making a choice that furthers my agenda.  When facing ill-treatment, if my goal is to glorify God then I will endure it for Jesus' sake but if I'd rather guard my sensitivities, I will find a way to get back at those who hurt me.

I am drawn to foolish choices because my goal is often wrong.

In the same way that Rehoboam stuck with his buddies who gave really bad advice, I am easily drawn to what is destructive or unwise.  The ungodly decisions tend to appeal to my sin nature, sound good to my way of thinking, and line up with the faulty goal I have set before me.  Therefore, I am naturally drawn to the foolish.  Now that I know this truth, it is up to me to stand firm against such folly.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will be aware of my tendency to choose the foolish way.

When do I mostly choose what sounds good to my way of thinking instead of seeking God?

How do I seek out my own goals instead of doing what glorifies God?