March 3-4, 2019
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Reading along with us in Proverbs? Here’s today’s reading:
Proverbs 26 (ESV)
Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
so honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
a curse that is causeless does not alight.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
and a rod for the back of fools.....Continue Reading
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Lot of counsel about being a fool
Lot of counsel about being a sluggard
Lot of counsel about bad choices and habits
Proverbs 26:4-5 (ESV)
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
This chapter is dedicated to the fool. I particularly like these verses of answering a foolish person.
Verse four encourages us not to stoop to the level of the fool. It does not say we should not answer the fool, just that we should be careful of how we answer the fool. Again this goes along the lines of lessons we have heard throughout the book of Proverbs to be careful how we speak, such as in Proverbs 25:11.
Verse five encourages us to not be afraid to engage in discourse with a fool but just remember that our tone and discourse must be wise.
At all times we have to carefully weigh the impact of engaging in discourse with a foolish person, sometimes it is wiser to remain silent. At other times we must engage a foolish person.
As an example, I think of the debate between Bill Nye and Ken Ham see https://youtu.be/HA3E8wpBO_I
While I do believe that Ken Ham handled himself wisely, a quick search shows other secular sources mocking and saying that Ken Ham is making up the rules and other dismissive things. They respond not by trying to evaluate the substance but in folly.
Ultimately the eternal Judge, God, will silence the fool and his folly will be exposed.
Certainly this Proverb focuses on fools. In Proverbs, a fool is not someone who can’t be wise, it is one who chooses not to be. The wisdom and knowledge of God are available to all who come to Him with faith and humility. A fool rejects the counsel of God and thinks he is fine living by his own ideas. He says in his heart there is no God and so the result of his life is godlessness and living unto himself. This Proverb gives good information how to interact with such a one. First don’t answer a fool according to his folly. When we interact with those who don’t care about what God thinks and they then spew an attack or a defense based in human wisdom, particularly when it is opposed to God, we do not need to resort to their methods or get defensive if they do not accept a perspective that comes from God. It is not only what they think that matters, but why they think it. If the foundation is wrong, then the corresponding information will be wrong as well.
The rest of the Proverb mostly gives the reasons why we shouldn’t thereby trust a fool or not expect them to head correction. But notice in verse 12, the man who is right in his own eyes is worse of than a fool. I do like what verse 19 says about doing something mean and then hiding behind the idea that I was only joking. We all should be careful when using that phrase and either not use it or make sure the person we are talking too absolutely knows that we were only joking.
It is so important to make sure our hearts are true and cleansed and informed by the word of God and then our speech is true as well and edifying and instructive to those to whom we speak. Proverbs warns here against those who are quarrelsome, looking for fights, or gossips, who look to malign, or liars who seek to pervert the truth.
12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.