Stupid Is as Stupid Does

Stupid is as stupid does.

Have you ever heard this before? It ran through my head as I was reading about the plagues of Egypt.

It means that a person’s actions define their intelligence, rather than their inherent abilities. It suggests that engaging in foolish behavior reflects a lack of wisdom, regardless of one’s actual intelligence.

Pharaoh had a group of men who who were feared among Egyptians. Their dangerous reputation arose from the demonic and not their smarts. Do you realize how dumb the demonic is? Do you notice how the devil doesn’t seem to have a very large bag of tricks? That’s why he attacks you the same old way over and over. He’s simply stupid.

I’m not sure that Pharaoh’s demon possessed men deserve all the credit, since the Egyptian king clearly displayed some lack of aptitude in this story too. If you read carefully, you can see that his demeanor was a result of anger, which clearly was not a big feat for the Lord to stir up. Anger makes people stupid, forgetful, and destructive.

First Pharaoh’s men turned their staffs into snakes, mimicking Moses. The fact that they continued to try to outwit Moses after his snake ate theirs is unbelievably stupid if you understand that a staff was just as important as your last name. Can you imagine no longer having a last name?

Think about this – an entire river is full of blood. What else would you want? More blood?! How about the frogs that were in everything – your bed, your cereal, your bathtub. Would you really want MORE frogs? Even if you run a restaurant that specializes in frog legs, probably not.

The men ran into a road block with the gnats and didn’t even try making more flies. Oh, the irony of that one – these men were actually serving the lord of the flies! Making more flies should’ve been easy peasy. Then they were no where to be found when Moses’ healthy hands were black with soot that brought about horrendous sores on every single Egyptian and their animals.

You can almost hear them tell Moses, “We can do that too!” Uh, yea. Do you realize that you’re making your own water undrinkable, bringing more frogs into your own home, and trying to get yourself bit by more gnats?

Here’s a brilliant idea or two. Why not change the blood back to water? Why not cause every single frog to disappear? Why not bring about a wind that blows all the gnats and flies away? Wouldn’t that prove how much more superior you and your gods are?

The Bible explains exactly what it is to be stupid:

I am certainly more stupid than any man, and I do not have the understanding of a man; nor have I learned wisdom, nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One. (Pr 30:2)

A stupid person has no knowledge. (Ps 92:6)

They have said, “The LORD does not see.” Pay attention you stupid ones among the people…He who formed the eye, does He not see? (Ps 94:7-9)

Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? They are altogether stupid. The instruction from idols is nothing but wood! (Je 10:7-8)

It boils down to this: someone who is stupid devotes their energy towards stuff – getting more and better stuff than you, they know-it-all and let everyone know that they know it all, and they do not fear the One True God. The problem is that someone who is stupid thinks that they are anything but. That’s because stupidity loves deception.

Are you being deceived?