The committed fool (kesil,lutz, and nabal) hates correction because it challenges the fortress of foolish speculations that undergird his identity. He has exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and God has given him over to his lusts. These lusts largely define who he is. Correction of this unhappy soul is rarely effective via the front door, where the Christian barges it down with the self-righteous zeal of Phineas, offering little empathy for the imprisoned soul shackled by lusts. In order to get a fool to reassess his “wisdom in his own eyes,” the fool needs to hear the testimony of the believer whose previous foolishness he can relate to. It’s hard to be defensive about someone else’s idolatry, so if the Christian story resonates with the fool’s story, the fool might be open to similar correction. Take the “I’m right/you’re wrong” narrative off the table by identifying and sympathizing with the plight of the fool. If not for the grace of God, we’re all incorrigible fools.
