In this chapter we find a number of verses that give us guidance in dealing with a fool. The question I have today is why do we not have fools today? How have we created a society where there are no longer foolish thoughts or speech? Everyone’s perspective has to be given a hearing, even when we know the foundational principles are wrong.
Verse one, do not give honor to a fool, use a rod on a fool in verse 3, do not answer a fool in verse 4, don’t send messages by a fool, a fool will not understand a proverb, the fool is like a dog that returns to his own vomit or repeats his ways, and the list continues.
But as we think on the fool, praying we are not one, in verse 12 we are told pride brings us down beneath a fool. Or does this verse just mean there is even a lower spot for the fool when they think their folly is full of wisdom? I fear a society without fools have given themselves over to foolishness and has lost all wisdom.
Now the second person picked on is the one who is lazy. We are talking too lazy to pick your hand up out of the bowl to feed yourself lazy. Lazy people are also creative with excuses; there is a lion in the street! This person as the fool will not accept advice from anyone. All of us can make “good excuses” but when we are honest, most of the time they were just choices we made and beds we must now lie in.
The real question for us today is; are we living as a lazy person or a foolish person? I praise God for James and how he explains to us that God will give us wisdom if we ask. Are you asking? I praise God that we can read His Word and if we are willing to do it we will be wise. Of course at the beginning of Proverbs we are told all of this starts with the fear of the Lord.
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