Greetings!
Have you ever tried to reason with stupidity?
I have. I have also been on the stupid side of discussions more times than I want to admit. I have also been on the side of dealing with fruitless discussions, as a man representing righteousness through wrangling of words - arguing. Neither are fun and both are wearing to the soul. Both are stupid. There is an old adage, “
Stupid is as stupid does
.”
The term “stupid” has an interesting root definition. The organic etymology reveals,
a lack of intelligence, understanding, reason, or wit
. It is further known as,
stupidity is innate, assumed or reactive – a defense against grief or trauma.
As I read this definition I was fascinated. The part that caught my attention was
a defense against grief or trauma.
If you're like most people when you hear the word
stupid
spoken you probably think of a derogatory insult against intelligence. In reality, research proves that most stupid people are highly intelligent. So intelligent, they rise above common sense truth to argue their self-governed perspective of truth. They have mental alertness of truth by way of knowledge but have no sense to apply it. This is why they're stupid. Allow me to share a definition I gave my congregation not long ago.
Stupid is anything, or anybody, who rises above the Truth, Jesus. Stupid people are those who strive to be one mark higher than those they debate. They acknowledge the precepts of Truth while refusing to do anything about it. They’re all talk & no do!
Stupid people may lack understanding but they do not lack knowledge. This is why they love to argue. The blunt facts are, anyone who argues is functioning in stupidity. One thing I have come to embrace through many years of discipling people with this ideation, they’re covering some type of pain – typically from historic trauma. If a child is raised “feeling stupid” year after year, when they hit their teen years, authentic stupidity kicks in. The trauma of their childhood proves itself to be self-evident – stupid is as stupid does, or should I say “stupid does as stupid was.”
God has always been outspoken about stupid people.
From what we read from the Hebrew text, the Lord typically associates stupidity with those who make claim to knowing Him but revolt against His ways. They lift their hands in worship while rebelling in their hearts. Most are a professing people but yet debate as a foolish devil. They love to practice religion while abhorring indwelling Life. Each is def & dumb when it comes to the authentic grace of God; using grace like it’s a license to act stupid. They are without any true faith in Christ; and without being a born-again Bridal member of Him, they have no foundation to stand. Their stupidity turns to foolishness each time they open their mouths. They wrangle words like a prideful child who refuses to bow to authentic authority. You know - that child who argues their point when they & the parent knows the truth. This is why stupid people are known for adjusting their doctrines to match their stubborn assumptions.
“As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming…”
(Ephesians 4:14)
Even though there are under 20 verses in the Bible that directly use the term “stupid,” there is one verse where God Himself uses this word to describe His people.
"For My people are foolish, they know Me not; they are stupid children and have no understanding. They are shrewd to do evil, but to do good they do not know."
(Jeremiah 4:22)
The compassionate element is people who function under stupidity, as the Lord said,
to do good they do not know.
The first item that must be embraced is they are foolish. Foolish in the Hebrew means –
senseless.
When any of us function under stupidity we are lacking in the spiritual sense of hearing the mind of Christ. This results in functioning as
stupid children
who
have no understanding
. The prime root word for
understanding
in the Hebrew is –
discernment
. Since authentic discernment requires the indwelling mind of Christ, people who have
no understanding
suffer one of two realities. One, they refuse to yield to the Abiding Life of Christ or they don’t have the Abiding Life, to begin with.
Knowing the Abiding Life is
not
living it.
Like most things, to know is not to be known. We are exhorted in Romans 8:12 & 13, that as indwelt believers we have no obligations to “the flesh” – that tendency of self-service. Rather, Paul is telling us that life results when the “deeds of the body” are mortified (put to death). In Colossians it says:
“Therefore
consider
the members of your earthly body
as dead
to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices”
(Colossians 3:5, 8-9).
This mandate cannot be appropriated unless
one understands (discerns) experientially through their identity in Christ. It is impossible to even understand this truth unless we are seated at the right hand of God (Col. 3:1).
What are these “deeds of the body” that Paul is referencing here? People that suffer from the ideation of stupidity typically suffer from these descriptives. Let’s review the list both in English and by Greek definition:
- Immorality (sex before marriage, homosexuality, incest or any kind of sexual sins)
- Impurity (lustful thinking)
- Passion (rage, suffering or tempter)
- Evil Desire (thoughts of Satan, harm or revenge)
- Greed (idolatrous worship of people, places, or things)
- Anger (violent passion)
- Wrath (passion demonstrated)
- Malice (hateful motives)
- Slander (character assassination)
- Abusive Speech (filthy communication)
- Lying (attempting to deceive)
In no uncertain terms, we are told to put these ideations to death. Yet, without question, these are the very things we tend to work fruitlessly to “crucify” or put to death in our own strength. The sobering reality is that God did not ask us to focus on “putting them to death” but rather, on “consider the members of our earthly body” to BE dead. There is a monster-sized difference between the two.
When we try to curb, control, or eradicate any deed
of the flesh – we are certain to end in a pile of stupidity. The secret, which is not so much a secret, is to receive the Life of Jesus Christ into our mortal bodies. This single reality releases the Life and mind of Christ to appropriate the power that breaks the
power of sin
that once dominated our foolish hearts. This is what we call the overflow of His life. Since this is the single most important doctrine indwelt believers need to experientially embrace, this becomes Satan’s playground for authentic believers - certainly for the wanna-a-be Christian. This kind of Truth is appropriated b
y faith.
Without faith, it is impossible to realistically appropriate the efforts of Christ’s Life (Holy Spirit) in the indwelt Christian. Satan knows that stupidity is the opposite of faith. Stupidity MUST see (prove) to believe. Faith, on the other hand, cares little about seeing and focuses on believing what the original authority says to be true. Stupidity is fully dependent on self-discovery.
The “old man” (Romans 6:6) loves, for authentic Christians, loved, the deeds of stupidity. Before we became indwelt by the Life of Christ, Satan fed us stupidity like jelly from a jar. The old man not only fed off these “goodies,” but grew into a monster of self-life control and pleasure - just as Satan planned. Stupidity cannot take root without demonic wisdom.
“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.”
(James 3:13-15)
This truth makes our objective spiritual
in cause and nature. Since the topic of demons, the devil, and spiritual forces are the least studied topics in Christendom, we have our crisis. Also. Since our present culture is rich in self abounding wisdom and understanding of what is earthly and natural, we are forced to face a reality of God turning such a people over to a depraved mind. (Rom. 1)
If you have been in a discussion with a foolish person, you know the only recourse is to turn them over to their own minds. It typically takes less than 5 minutes to determine, what you say, only fuels the fire of their stupidity. You quickly realize it is the better part of wisdom to leave their presence.
“Leave the presence of a fool, or you will not discern words of knowledge.”
(Proverbs 14:7)
It takes a fool to debate a fool!
The old man (nature), in God’s reality, is the fool that mirrors the image of Satan. To debate a fool is to debate Satan. This is why it is foolish to continue a discussion with a stupid person after the Lord reveals the Truth. Walk away immediately upon His revelation.
My closest family & friends know, I refuse to debate. I only engage with people who seek the Truth. When I discover they are “baiting” me, I’m done. God doesn’t use “bait” to attract, He uses Truth - Jesus. The root word for debate is to
trap.
Debate advocates unrest. Unrest provokes demonic wisdom. The kind of wisdom I want to be a part of is that which is housed within the mind of Christ.
“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.”
(James 3:17)
How often do you debate others?
You know, what we call “argue.” What ways do you try to
trap
others in your dialogues? What erroneous ways do you attempt to prove yourself to be “right?” Since Jesus was silent before foolish men who attempted to
trap
Him, I think it wise to release Him to do the same in indwelt believers.
Oh, before I forget, always remember, a stupid person typically is reacting to historical trauma. For this reason I go after their trauma & pain, rather than their foolish conclusions!
