BY Tope BANSO
One of the evils under the sun is that ungodly fools have become the heroes of many people and dishonest people are being celebrated as VIPs. The reward system in some societies is tilted in favour of crooks: it is not the best that gets to the top; it is the crafty ones. Dishonest people know how to manipulate the system to their advantage.
How can things work well in societies where people believe that honesty does not pay and hard work is not rewarded? It is no wonder that many youths pander towards entertainment because societies celebrate empty people, those lacking substance.
I recall that in a particular developing country, a state government that could not pay attractive salaries to its diligent professionals considered it appropriate to lavish gifts on the winner of a national reality show that contributed nothing significant to national development just because the winner came from that state. While diligent professionals like medical doctors and other health care providers, academics, engineers, and lawyers, among others, earn a pittance, the government rewarded one of those promoting immorality on a live television show!
Isaiah 32:5 says, “In that day ungodly fools will not be heroes. Scoundrels will not be respected” (New Living Translation). This scripture talks about what would happen under the reign of a righteous king in Judah (verse 1). Under this righteous king, there would be no more injustice. Ungodly fools would not be heroes and scoundrels or dishonest people would not be respected.
This scripture is a prophecy about the return of the righteous king, Jesus Christ, who will reign with justice. Isaiah 11:3-5 says, “His delight is in the fear of the Lord, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears; but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist” (New King James Version).
However, Isaiah 32:5 is the opposite of what obtains in many societies today. Who are your heroes? Are they ungodly fools and scoundrels? The Amplified Bible says, “The fool (the good-for-nothing) will no longer be called noble, nor the rogue said to be generous.”
The scripture continues in verses 6-7: “For fools speak foolishness and make evil plans. They practice ungodliness and spread false teachings about the Lord. They deprive the hungry of food and give no water to the thirsty. The smooth tricks of scoundrels are evil. They plot crooked schemes. They lie to convict the poor, even when the cause of the poor is just” (New Living Translation).
Many people today, including those in the church especially the youths, don’t have the right people as their role models. Their heroes are the celebrities whose lives are contrary to the Word of God or whose values are not Bible-based.
However, because these ungodly fools have a huge following online and are famous and wealthy, many people want to and pray to be like them! This is despite the crises, confusion, and abnormalities in the lives of these celebrities that should never make any right-thinking person choose them as heroes, mentors, or role models.
Psalm 14:1 says, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good” (New King James Version). Psalm 53:1 says a similar thing. Also, Proverbs 14:9a says fools mock at sin. “The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly,
But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness” (Proverbs 15:2 New King James Version). Should anyone who calls himself a child of God make a fool his hero, mentor, or role model?
Many of these ungodly celebrities live in defiance of God, have no home, have been divorced multiple times or have children for different men or from different women. Some of them are drug addicts and deviants. They have no peace in their lives though they give the public the impression that all is well with them. They live a fake life, a life of pretence. What the unsuspecting public sees in them is a mere façade. Unfortunately, many of their fans are deceived and still choose them as their heroes.
Is it not sad that some people who started singing in the children’s church and matured into the adult choir where they were trained, including how to play different musical instruments, have now abandoned the church? They have been led astray by the ungodly fools that they have chosen as their heroes. The hunger and thirst for fame and money like the secular musicians, who have become their idols, have made them not sing in praise of God but sing what will sell such as sex, sinful pleasures, and nonsensical and vulgar lyrics.
The Bible says, “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits’” (1 Corinthians 15:33 New King James Version). He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed (Proverbs 13:20). Avoid the company of ungodly fools.
Who is your hero? Does he believe in the living God? Are his values derived from the Bible? Does he adhere to the teachings of the Bible? Is your goal to receive the crowns from God or to receive honours from the world?
The people of the world know those to give awards, those to recognize and celebrate – those who participate in their race, not in the race that the Bible says God has set before believers (Hebrews 12:1). Logically, you must participate in a race for you to receive medals or prizes (Philippians 3:14; 2 Timothy 4:7-8). Those who desire to become celebrities like their ungodly fools should be ready to run the world’s race.
Don’t make ungodly fools your heroes or scoundrels your role models. Everything does not end here on earth. Fame will end here on earth. Wealth won’t follow anyone into the grave. But eternity with God or in hellfire is unending.
The Bible warns, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16a New King James Version).
Don’t make ungodly fools your role model so that your life won’t be like theirs or end like theirs. Ephesians 5:15 says to be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. “The wise shall inherit glory, but shame shall be the legacy of fools” (Proverbs 3:35 New King James Version).
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, I shall not allow an evil company to corrupt my good habits. I shall not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. Ungodly fools shall not become my heroes in Jesus’ name.
▪︎ Banso, an Abuja-based pastor, heads Cedar Ministry International and can be reached via his telephone numbers: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org