Jump Start # 3537

Psalms 14:1 “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; there is no one who is good.”

I ran across a little book the other day titled, “1001 Dumbest things ever said.” The title alone is enough to grab the attention of the curious. Here’s a few samplings:

• A zebra cannot change its spots.
• Why did they build the ruins so close to the road?
• Include your children when baking cookies.

  Of course, this made me wonder about dumb things said in the Bible. Now, understand, nothing God says is dumb. God’s word is right, pure and accurate. However, the Bible quotes the statements of men that are dumb.

For instance:

• Nebuchadnezzar: ”Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by my might of my power and for the glory of my majesty” (Dan 4:30)
• Nebuchadnezzar: “What god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?” (Dan 3:15b)
• The rich farmer: “And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many good laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry” (Lk 12:19)
• The Jews: “He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?” (Jn 10:20)

Our verse today, where the fool says ‘there is no God’ must rank near the top of all time dumb things said. And, yet that dumb statement is repeated over and over and expressed in universities, publications, social media and in the way people live.

That statement is dumb because:

First, it ignores the obvious evidence of God’s presence in the world. The Romans were told, “…His divine attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made” (Rom 1:20). Jesus said, “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them” (Mt 6:26).

Every Spring the world comes alive with trees budding, flowers blooming and it’s a reminder of resurrection over and over. Yet, the fool says, there is no God.

Second, if there is no God, as the fool declares, what’s the alternative? Nature? Evolution? Chance? It just happens? No wisdom. No planning. No design. These things just happen. It just happens that mankind is at the top of the world and not a fish or a pig. Really?

Third, as our verse continues, saying there is no God leads to corrupt and broken lives. No accountability. No standard. No rules. Just do whatever makes you happy. And, we are seeing this in the streets of America today. Chaos. Lawlessness. Crime. Remove God and you remove the reason to be decent, honest and serving.

Fourth, just saying something doesn’t make it so. One can declare there is no God, but that does not mean the Lord goes away. He’s still there. And, many a fool will find out how dumb this statement really is when they must stand before the Lord in judgment.

Dumb things. The more I thought about that, I wondered what would compel someone to put that list together. Why not a collection of “smartest things ever said,” or, “the most helpful things ever said.” Better yet, “The most spiritual things said,” or, “the most encouraging things said.” Now that would be a list.

Dumb things come from people not thinking.

Roger