A Matter of Taste
A man’s own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the LORD. Proverbs 19:3
Folly – As you read this phrase, you’re probably nodding your head in agreement. We all know someone whose life has been destroyed by personal foolishness. It seems so obvious. In our more somber moments, we might even recognize the truth of this proverb in our own lives. But what we might not realize is the depth of this kind of folly. For that insight, we need some Hebrew.
The word is ‘iwwelet from ‘ewil. It does not describe stupidity (although folly is certainly stupid). This word is about moral perversion. My IQ score is not the issue. God points to my MQ, my moral quotient. God tells me that a decline in my MQ leads directly to a twisted life (that’s the literal meaning of “ruins”). This kind of life is so bent out of shape that it can’t be straightened. Eventually, the metal of this life is good for nothing but the scrap pile. It will have to be crushed and recycled to be straightened.
You’re probably still nodding in agreement, even if there is a little pain in your heart. But there is more. Did you notice that the proverb points to my particular folly, my special kind of moral perversion? How I ruin my life is a matter of personal taste. It’s not always obvious. It’s not always about sex and drugs and money and power, is it? Sometimes my moral perversion comes in much more hidden enjoyments. Sometimes it’s just my selfish desire to control or the pleasure I take in my anger or the addiction I have to my external image. Sometimes it’s just my preoccupation with success, or my inability to give without gain or my secret fears that keep me locked inside. There are all kinds of moral perversions, enough for each of us to have our own little private stock. When you do your fearless moral inventory, take a deep look at what appeals to you from the dark side. You may discover some ‘iwwelet behind a closet door that you quite comfortably left closed.
Here’s a little MQ test: Suppose that all of the behavior of your life were revealed in a documentary on national television. Would you be able to watch it without embarrassment or shame? Would you be willing to sit in the room with your friends and family while every act of your life was catalogued?
Maybe we need to pay a lot more attention to the MQ of life. If we don’t, we will acquire tastes that will lead us directly to twisted existence.
