The Fool
The first
half of this chapter deals with the fool.
Now, I know what you’re thinking.
It’s probably the same thing that I was thinking. What does God have against
less-than-intelligent people?
To really
understand what is going on in this first part of the chapter we need to really
get at the Biblical definition of fool.
The word “fool” is actually quite different than the word for
“uneducated.” The person who is
uneducated is one who hasn’t had access to education. Perhaps they are incapable of academic
learning. Whatever the reason, this is
not the person being spoken of in this chapter.
God doesn’t have an issue with someone who may not know as much as the
next guy because they don’t have the same capacity or the same opportunity.
What God
has an issue with is the fool. When we
look at the Biblical understanding of the word fool it will all make
sense. A fool is a person who acts out
of a lack of wisdom. Since the book of
Proverbs is all about wisdom, it makes sense that the fool is anathema from the
perspective of Proverbs! The fool is the
person who should know better but doesn’t care.
The fool is the person who can make a good decision but doesn’t. The fool is a person who knows that they
should ask for guidance and who doesn’t.
Can an intelligent person be a fool?
Absolutely. Can an uneducated
person be a fool? Absolutely. One’s education doesn’t make one a fool. One’s choices are what makes one a fool.
So, let’s
look at what it means to be a fool. The
fool does not have honor. The fool is
one who doesn’t respond to correction – even harsh correction. The fool is one whose foolishness must be
exposed because otherwise they will think themselves wise. The fool is unreliable as a messenger or a
servant because their decision-making process cannot be trusted. The fool is incapable of applying wisdom
correctly so there is little point in teaching them. Again note that it is not one’s education
that makes one a fool; rather, it is one’s use of education. The fool is someone who does more damage than
good when trusted. The fool is one who
repeats mistakes. {Yay for Proverbs
26:11!} The fool is not a place where
much hope exists.
This is a
really harsh synopsis, but I believe it is a fairly accurate synopsis of the
first 12 verses of this chapter. The
fool is not a category that we really want to end up being a part of. If the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the
Lord, then the fool is one who does not have reverence of God. Indeed, if we truly believe that one must
know God to know salvation, the fool is the one who opts for living their own
ways rather than knowing salvation.
Indeed, we do not desire to be the fool.
The Sluggard
The next
biggest category spoken of in this chapter is the sluggard. Being a sluggard is another term for being
lazy. Personally, I love the term that
the Holman Bible uses: slacker! The
slacker is only a fraction better than the fool. Whereas the fool acts out of their lack of
wisdom, the slacker simply doesn’t act!
The slacker still doesn’t do the right thing and follow God. However, at least the slacker isn’t guilty of
doing something foolish, either. That’s
the only reason that the slacker is better than the fool.
What does
it mean to be a slacker? The slacker
tells lies and makes excuses about not being able to go out. The slacker stay in bed longer than is
necessary. The slacker is so lazy that
they are worn out just getting themselves something to eat. The slacker is someone who thinks themselves
wise enough to not need to learn from others. What is the slacker? The slacker is one who is happy in their life
as it is and who doesn’t see the need for improving anything.
The Quarreler
After the
slacker we talk about the quarreler.
People who look for quarrels are like fires that look for any source of
fuel. They go from building to building
causing stress and distress. The
quarreler is as damaging to the community around them as they are damaging to
themselves.
The Liar
Finally,
we hear about the liar. We hear about
the gossip. We hear about the one filled
with hate. As I ended this chapter, I
felt like I was reviewing a list of the seven deadly sins. Then I had a very interesting thought. How many ways are there for us to fall and
prove the sinfulness within? My head is
dizzy at the number of ways for sin to disrupt my life. As I finish this chapter I cannot help but
remember that as Luther says, “We are but poor, humble beggars.” We need the Holy Spirit to make that
difference in our life. Come, Holy
Spirit.
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