Stupid is as Stupid does!

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What a mess! Do you ever watch the news and think, “People are idiots?” I do! It pains me to watch society unravel. I hate the chaos. Is all of it ignorance or just plain old stupidity? There is a difference you know! There are many things I’m ignorant about, such as plumbing, car repair, and electrical wiring. But that doesn’t make me stupid. It simply means I lack the knowledge needed to do these things. (I know, you’re thinking there are a lot of other things that make Ron stupid. You’re
all very funny!)

Stupidity, on the other hand, is having knowledge and making dimwitted decisions.
Stupidity is the guy who has heard all the warnings about toasters and still chooses to put a fork down one. Stupidity is the woman who has heard the warnings about electricity and water and still chooses to curl her hair in the bathtub. I’m sorry, but this goes way beyond ignorance. Face it; people are stupid.

It is because of this fact that manufacturers have had to go to great lengths to warn people of all the potential dangers of their product being misused. Most product-
liability cases allege that a manufacturer failed to sufficiently warn of the risk of using a particular product. Remember the $2.7 million lawsuit against McDonalds for scalding a customer with coffee? Now a cup of coffee warns, “Caution: Contents Hot!” In the word’s of my granddaughter, “Like Duh!” Warnings abound:
• On a Superman costume: “Caution: For play only. Cape does not enable user to fly.”
• On a toboggan: “Manufacturer advises users to avoid trees, stumps, rocks, branches or manmade obstacles. This product does not have brakes.”
• On a bag of Fritos: “You could be a winner! No purchase necessary. Details inside.”
• On a frozen desert pie: “Do not turn upside down.” (As printed on the bottom of the box.)
• On a clothing iron: “Do not iron clothes on body.”
• On a bottle of Nytol (A SLEEP AID): “Warning: may cause drowsiness.”
• On a chainsaw: “Warning; Do not attempt to stop chain with your hands.”
 

Give me a break. Who needs instructions and warnings like these? Stupid people! Right? I don’t want you think that I’m just venting here and that I have no point to make. I have a point. And I don’t have to stretch to make it either. Just as there is a difference between ignorance and stupidity; there is also a difference between
worldly wisdom and godly wisdom.

“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness. The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are useless”(I Corinthians 3:19-20).

Paul further said of his time, “Professing to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:18). The same could be said of this time too.

All godly wisdom begins with just two things: the bible and Jesus. So again to Paul’s wisdom: “Know the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (II Timothy 3:15).

As long as people continue ignoring the scriptures, as long as they continue disregarding God’s wisdom, as long as they continue snubbing Christ, they’ll continue being a messed up, broken, stupid people. Hate will reign and hope will wane.

What we need most right now will not come from any politician, nor political group, nor demonstration, nor cause, nor protest, nor rally. We need godly wisdom which comes from people who know the scriptures and follow Jesus. Could that be you?
Ron Otto. Preaching minister of Lincoln Christian Church

 

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