DO NOT (PART 21) – AVOID BEING ANCHORED TO THE WORLD’S FOOLISHNESS

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Wisdom is too high for fools; in the assembly at the gate, they must not open their mouths.

Proverbs 24:7          

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Unless you’re a total recluse and never go out of the confines of your home, you will find yourself in relationship with other people. It happens every day, doesn’t it?

We go to the store and even if we transit the aisles without uttering a word to someone, we will probably have to go through the checkout line and interact with a cashier.

We go to work and have to interact with co-workers.

And when we call or visit our families and friends, we naturally will enter into conversations with them.

Communication is central to relationships. In fact, it is the very lifeblood of relationship. If you don’t believe that, stop talking to someone and see what happens to your relationship. It will literally die on the vine.

We simply must speak with others in order to have relationship. But equally important is how we speak to others. For if ceasing to speak to someone damages and sometimes destroys relationship, so too can speaking inappropriately with another. There have been more than a few relationships wrecked by foolish talk.

There’s little doubt we can act and talk foolishly sometimes. I think we have all been guilty of it at one time or another as we do or say things we regret. Sometimes the result can be devastating and the harm done irreversible. Maybe you can relate to something someone has done or said to you that scarred you in some way. If we don’t exercise caution and fall into foolishness, we can behave in ways hurt and seriously injure others.

So how do we avoid this from happening? How can we be assured that the things we do and say will edify and not destroy the relationships we enter into?

The key is ensuring our actions and words are of the Lord, wise and glorifying unto Him. As we look at the 23rd of the thirty Sayings of the Wise, we see Solomon touching on the matter of foolish behavior. Look again at his words:

Wisdom is too high for fools; in the assembly at the gate, they must not open their mouths. Proverbs 24:7          

There are two main points that Solomon makes regarding people who opt for foolishness:

1. Fools are too short to reach wisdom.

The reason this is true is that fools are grounded to the world and its false wisdom and intellect. A worldly attitude leads a person to rely on their own ability to act properly and say the right things. They cannot look to things above because they are too anchored to things below. True wisdom is above them for true wisdom is of the Lord and finding it requires one to break free of the world and look to the heavens, outside of themselves or anyone else for that matter. A fool will refuse to break free, choosing the world and its wickedness over the Lord and His righteousness. Subsequently, their foolish behavior mirrors their sinful choice.

2. Fools would be better off remaining silent.

Fools have nothing positive to offer except showing us what can happen if we choose to turn from the Lord and rely instead on the world’s ways. Nothing of substance will come out of the fool’s mouth and so they would be better off not saying anything. For only when one speaks under the guidance, direction, and authority of the Lord God Almighty will one speak with a wisdom and discernment and power that edifies and encourages and inspires. A fool offers no counsel worth anything. A spokesperson for the Lord always speaks words that are wise and of truth and value to the hearer.

The “do not” caution in our series of “Do Not” devotions is “do not” choose the world and its foolishness over the Lord and His wisdom.

If we heed this caution and seek the Lord and His righteousness first in all circumstances, then we will ensure we are always acting and speaking in ways that will impact those around us in the right way, a way that will draw them closer to the One who made them and saved them, the Lord who longs to draw them to Himself so their ways may be wise and right.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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