One of the things I do for personal growth is to read through the Bible in a year’s time. I like to do my reading using different translations. I highly recommend this. It provides you insights that you may have missed over other readings.
In 2022 I read through The Living Bible. In the book of 2 Peter, chapter three, Peter is writing about some folks who are skewing what others have written. He says, “and there are people who are deliberately stupid…” (15-16).
I love that phrase! Deliberately stupid. People choose stupid. It happens more often than we think.
A person is deliberately stupid when they ignore the reality of a situation
A person is deliberately stupid when they refuse to listen to another’s perspective
A person is deliberately stupid when they don’t ask questions
A person is deliberately stupid when they reject facts simply because it violates their worldview
A person is deliberately stupid when they perceive everyone is right except them
A person is deliberately stupid when they simply accept things as they are
A person is deliberately stupid when they think they are the only one who is right
A person is deliberately stupid when they strive for comfort and predictability
A person is deliberately stupid when they stop learning
A person is deliberately stupid when they think emotion makes them weak
A person is deliberately stupid when they dismiss God out of hand
A person is deliberately stupid when they believe their faith ought not to influence their actions
A person is deliberately stupid when they categorize people
A person is deliberately stupid when they don’t actually believe people can change
A person is deliberately stupid when they feel their actions ought not have consequences
A person is deliberately stupid when nothing is their fault
Truth is, it is not everyone else who is deliberately stupid. Often it is us. Everyone does stupid stuff. None of us are immune. Good news…we can choose not to do stupid. Remember, as Forrest Gump said, “Stupid is as stupid does.”