When I saw the video of “idiot students” supporting ISIS on YouTube yesterday, I thought about the biblical term fool. Should we use terms like “fool” and “idiot” to describe some people?

The term fools sounds pretty harsh, in fact Jesus warned us about the danger of calling our brother “an empty headed fool,” in the sermon on the Mount. (Matt 5:22) However, the book of Proverbs alone uses the word fool or fools a total of 61 times. Jesus called the Pharisees “blind fools” in Matthew 23:17. He also told a parable about 5 wise and 5 foolish virgins. Jesus talked in Matthew 7:26 about a “foolish” man who built his house on sand; referring to those who ignore his teachings. The Apostle Paul said about people who don’t glorify God and turn to perversion, “Claiming to be wise they become fools.” (Romans 1:22) He chided the Corinthians for rejecting him but “putting up with fools.” (2 Corinthians 11:19)

So Matthew 5:22 doesn’t mean that we suspend discernment. Matthew 5:22 doesn’t mean we avoid affixing labels to people; if so the bible is a joke and you can’t take it seriously. Matthew 5:22 is about anger management. I’ll admit it; I have gotten into verbal fights with people where I have resorted to name calling. I have uttered phrases like, “you jerk, you idiot, you’re crazy.” Afterward I have always felt ashamed. I knew I wasn’t exercising discernment. I knew I wasn’t trying to move anything forward, I was just being mean. However, when we sincerely believe someone is a fool we have a responsibility to warn people not to follow them to destruction. We also have the burden to call out foolishness so we don’t destroy ourselves. That is totally different that shouting slurs at someone because you are wounded and/or enraged at them. Matthew 5 also teaches us not to write people off as hopeless. Jesus gave unconditional love and hope to fools. I’m glad, since I have certainly played the fool in my life.

Now, personally I don’t use social media to call out political & church leaders. I know many of you do, but I am uncomfortable with that. There’s a fine line between warning people and reviling authority and I don’t want to cross that line. I’ll admit this is a confusing area and I guess we all have to prayerfully figure out just what standard of communication God is calling us too. I just feel it’s important that we encourage people to start thinking and communicating about what is wisdom and what is folly. Under the guise of being non-judgmental many people in the world are exalting fools.

Yes, I did wince when I saw the term “idiot students” on a YouTube video posted by my FB friend, Chief Tom Oloughlin of the Milford, MA police department, but when I watched it I said to myself, “it’s important that we know foolishness from wisdom and equally important that we have the courage to point it out.” Here’s the video, in case you didn’t see it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqY4oesYSPo