WISE OR FOOLISH: WHICH ARE YOU?

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In Christ, Mark

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

The fool will be servant to the wise.

The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.

Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.

A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride, but the lips of the wise protect them.

The wise fear the Lord and shun evil, but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure.

The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly.

The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but the hearts of fools are not upright.

Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.

Proverbs 11:29b, 12:15, 13:20, 14:3, 14:16, 14:24, 15:2, 15:7, 17:28

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

Are you wise or foolish?

That’s the question that today’s set of proverbs from the word of God brings.

Now you may have your own opinion of yourself but maybe you should pause and assess yourself against God’s word before you make the call. Here’s what to look for, verse by verse:

1. The fool will be servant to the wise. Proverbs 11:29b

A fool gets themselves in situations where they need the wise, needing their service to bail them out.

A wise person then will be the one that fools go to get out of the trouble they have gotten themselves into.

2. The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice. Proverbs 12:15

A fool will think they know it all, so much so that they will snub their nose at the advice of the wise, the wise who as we see in number 1, they will end up going to anyhow when they get in trouble. Wouldn’t it be easier just to humble yourself and ask for advice before trouble comes?

A wise person listens to the counsel of those who will guide them in the right direction. They are not too proud to ask for assistance and this is what leads them to wisdom because they will are the ones who will go to the Lord for their direction, the only One who will always lead them right.

3. Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. Proverbs 13:20

A fool hangs out with other fools. What’s the saying, “Misery loves company?” Or maybe “Birds of a feather stick together.” The bottom line is that you will often adopt the character of the people you hang around with. Fools like to be with other fools.

Conversely, wise people choose to associate with others who have wisdom and there is no greater personification of perfect wisdom than the Lord. Those who walk with Him will always walk in wisdom.

4. A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride, but the lips of the wise protect them. Proverbs 14:3

    Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.

    Proverbs 17:28

I don’t know how many times I have had to bail out someone who was foolish and got themselves in trouble with their mouth. It took a man of sound, wise reputation to step in and do damage control so that someone who acted foolish could get off the hook. A fool will refuse to harness their tongue and they allow sin to freely give them damaging words to speak. The one who is wise will always speak words that make sense and because of that have a reputation of always saying sensible things. This makes others willing to fully listen to what they say and honor their words, even if they are meant to fix an issue a fool has caused through their mouth.

Perhaps the fool would be better to just remain silent and hold their tongues. This way, maybe no one will be able to tell they are not discerning but really foolish.

5. The wise fear the Lord and shun evil, but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure. Proverbs 14:16

The fool loves to stir up conflict and feels in their element by doing so. They are always trying to stir things up and agitate others.

The wise on the other had fear and respect the Lord, the One who is the Prince of peace, and in seeking to please Him through their obedience to His will and way, they will be people who shun evil and seek to live in goodness and righteousness.

6. The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly. Proverbs 14:24

You reap what you sow.

If you are a fool, then you sow and reap foolishness and folly.

If you are wise, then you are wealthy, not in material ways, but rich in the Lord who brings you the wisdom esteemed by others.

7. The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly. Proverbs 15:2

    The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but the hearts of fools are not upright. Proverbs 15:7

A wise person will bring knowledge and people will seek them out because the guidance they bring will always be reinforced by the Lord’s direction.  

A fool brings nothing of substance because their hearts are wicked and not upright. Their mouths speak idiocy and stupidity. No one seeks their counsel except for other fools.

So there you have it. God’s word gives us a pretty good starting point to evaluate ourselves when it comes to either being wise or foolish.

So where do you stand?

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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