How do we "deal with idiots?"

 Last week, I was asked in Messenger after sharing a blog post, "Can you do one on how to deal with idiots?" I said, "Sure," thinking that there would be more verses containing that word than there actually turned out to be. It turns out that I could only find one reference that includes the word "idiot." That is Matthew 5:21-22.

During Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said that you have heard what was said to people of old. He referred to one of the 10 Commandments, which states, "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17 NKJV). Whoever murders shall be in danger of the judgment. But as He does all throughout Matthew 5, Jesus reveals the heart-intent behind God's Law. Jesus--God incarnate--said everyone angry with a brother or sister without a cause (referring to a fellow believer) shall be in danger of the same judgment as a murderer. Whoever says to a brother or sister, "Raca," an Aramaic word for an empty-headed idiot, shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says more shall be in danger of Hellfire (Matthew 5:21-22).

So how do we deal with idiots? The first noticeable thing is that we should be cautious--at the very least--when calling someone an idiot because the penalty is nothing to giggle at. In his commentary on this verse, John MacArthur writes that verbal abuse stems from the same sinful motives (anger and hatred) that ultimately lead to murder. The internal attitude is what the law actually prohibits. Therefore an abusive insult carries the same kind of moral guilt as an act of murder. So this word should not be thrown around flippantly? I confess I have been guilty of this myself, more so verbally than in writing. So this one hits home for me, too, as it should. The council here that Jesus referred to is the Sanhedrin, the ancient Jewish court system of that day. The point is that to use that word carried with a severe earthly charge in that day, but to tread this ground can lead to even more harsh, eternal consequences.

This is not to say that there is never a time to be angry. Jesus is perfect, and He gets angry. Ephesians 4:26 tells us to be angry and do not sin. That means that there is some anger that is not sinful. There is such a thing as righteous anger. We are to be angry at sin, which motivates us to pursue repentance for ourselves and justice where necessary. The feeling of anger is not a sin, and actions done in anger aren't necessarily sinful. But we need to be careful because that can very, very easily slip from righteous to unrighteous anger and result in sinful attitudes and actions. Psalm 97:10 says that those who love the LORD hate evil. That's pretty strong, but it shows that we can't honestly say we love God and get along with things He detests. But again, we must be careful in how we respond to that so that we don't act in sinful ways ourselves.

This also doesn't mean there are no times when the description of the word "fool" or "idiot" is not accurate. Even Scripture calls some people fools. The one that sticks out in my mind the most is Psalm 14:1 and 53:1. Those verses tell us that the one who says in his heart, "There is no God," is a fool. And that's two examples out of 196 I could have used. But again, we need to be careful not to use such words without a cause or carelessly.

So then, how do we deal with people who are acting stupidly? First, we should expect unbelievers to be foolish because they don't have the Holy Spirit to illuminate His paths of wisdom. Therefore, they are stumbling around in the darkness, making one wrong decision after another. They can't help it. This is because they are of their father, the devil (John 8:44). The best thing we can do for unbelievers is share the Gospel with them verbally and without watering it down. "How can people have faith in the Lord and ask him to save them, if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear, unless someone tells them" (Romans 10:14 CEV)? Coming to Christ is the entry-level position for wisdom.

But what about believers who act like idiots? How do we handle them? Galatians 6:1 addresses this. "If any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual [who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit] should set him right and restore and reinstate him, without any sense of superiority and with all gentleness, keeping an attentive eye on yourself, lest you should be tempted also" (Galatians 6:1 AMPC). So we have a responsibility to guide people back on the right path where needed, but only with the right attitude. That latter part is another thing I confess that I have not done well many times. Jesus gave us a pattern for church discipline when a person gets off track. He said, "If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won't accept the church's decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector" (Matthew 18:15-17 NLT). But again, this must be done with the right attitude. Peter asked Jesus, "How often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?" Jesus replied, "No, not seven times, but seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:21-22 NLT)! The point was not to walk around with a clipboard saying, "That's 489! One more, and you're toast!" I know that because "love does not count up wrongs that have been done" (1 Corinthians 13:5 NCV). The point was that the Christian should walk in an attitude of mercy and forgiveness.

To summarize, we "deal with idiots" by sharing wisdom with them, hoping and praying that they will see the light and the error of their ways. Suppose it's a moral issue with another believer, and we are in the same congregation as them. In that case, we bring the matter to that believer privately with a humble attitude, keeping an eye on our own hearts with the goal of restoration always in mind. If that is not successful, we involve only two or three others. If that doesn't work, then we take it to the whole congregation. If there is still no repentance, that person should be removed from the assembly until they repent. Also, even though fools and idiots in the world, we are commanded not to use such language against specific individuals carelessly, lest we bring divine judgment upon ourselves in the process.

And if all else fails, tie them up and force them to watch the worst Christian movie ever made, Interview with the Antichrist, until they plead for mercy or beg to be put out of their misery once and for all. Just kidding, everyone! Have a blessed night.