Do you know a fool when you see one?
TODAY'S PROVERB: Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to deal with a fool in his folly. Proverbs 17:12
A fool is as dangerous as a mother bear robbed of her cubs? Really? I've read stories of mama bears attacking while mortally wounded in order to protect her babies.
How is someone that is defined simply in our world as "unwise," more dangerous than that bear?
I learned something today. The definition of a fool in the Bible is VERY different than our dictionaries.
Proverbs contain over 20 descriptions about fools. They described them as someone who is calculating and deceitful. They can disarm us with worldly intelligence and inject negativity into our life.
If these are intelligent people, why are they considered fools? Let's ask King Solomon's father, David:
"...The fool said in his heart:
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt; their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good." (Proverbs 14:1)
I don't know about you, but I've run into more fools in my life than I care to admit. Unfortunately, they wreaked havoc before I eventually recognized there was something wrong with them.
What do fools "look" like? Here's how Proverbs describes them:
* They despise GOD's wisdom and instruction. (1:7)
* They hate knowledge from GOD. (1:22)
* They hide their hatred behind lies and have no trouble with slandering a good person. (10:18)
* They love playing with mischief. (10:23)
* They think the harm they do is okay. (12:15)
* They get angry and act out. (12:16)
* They destroy their families with their behavior. (14:1)
* Their pride strikes out cruelly at others. (14:3)
* They love deceit. (14:8)
* They mock sin. (14:9)
* They are so confident in their intelligence, they feel they can do anything they want. (14:16)
* They despise their parents, or think them irrelevant. (15:5, 20)
* No amount of correction seems to work. (17:10; 26:11)
* They are quarrelsome and contentious. (18:6,13; 20:3)
* They love their own voice and talk a lot. (18:7; 29:11)
* They spend more than they should. (21:20)
If there are folks in our life that exhibit even a few of these characteristics, we need to be careful. They are a danger to our heart, mind, and perhaps our bodies.
Is there hope for a fool? I love Proverbs 26:12: "Do you see one wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than him." This proverb is a reminder we can be more foolish than a fool with our own arrogance. Arrogance elevates ourselves above GOD.
Before our redemption, we were fools. So, like us, if a fool says, "Yes! GOD is real!" then they will open their lives to His salvation.
We can and should avoid yoking ourselves with fools, but don't give up praying for them and speaking truth. Aren't we glad someone did that for us?
May the fools in our life be revealed, my friends.
Proverbs 17:12, Tree of Life Bible Society, Tree of Life Version - TLV #tlvbible #tlvproverbs
[WATCH Tree of Life Bible Society's CEO, Daniah Greenberg and me, Terri Gillespie, Author dig a little deeper with this proverb. Check us out at Tree of Life Bible Society, Monday through Friday, LIVE at 8:30am EST. Watch previous episodes there as well. Stay wise, my friends!]
A fool is as dangerous as a mother bear robbed of her cubs? Really? I've read stories of mama bears attacking while mortally wounded in order to protect her babies.
How is someone that is defined simply in our world as "unwise," more dangerous than that bear?
I learned something today. The definition of a fool in the Bible is VERY different than our dictionaries.
Proverbs contain over 20 descriptions about fools. They described them as someone who is calculating and deceitful. They can disarm us with worldly intelligence and inject negativity into our life.
If these are intelligent people, why are they considered fools? Let's ask King Solomon's father, David:
"...The fool said in his heart:
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt; their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good." (Proverbs 14:1)
I don't know about you, but I've run into more fools in my life than I care to admit. Unfortunately, they wreaked havoc before I eventually recognized there was something wrong with them.
What do fools "look" like? Here's how Proverbs describes them:
* They despise GOD's wisdom and instruction. (1:7)
* They hate knowledge from GOD. (1:22)
* They hide their hatred behind lies and have no trouble with slandering a good person. (10:18)
* They love playing with mischief. (10:23)
* They think the harm they do is okay. (12:15)
* They get angry and act out. (12:16)
* They destroy their families with their behavior. (14:1)
* Their pride strikes out cruelly at others. (14:3)
* They love deceit. (14:8)
* They mock sin. (14:9)
* They are so confident in their intelligence, they feel they can do anything they want. (14:16)
* They despise their parents, or think them irrelevant. (15:5, 20)
* No amount of correction seems to work. (17:10; 26:11)
* They are quarrelsome and contentious. (18:6,13; 20:3)
* They love their own voice and talk a lot. (18:7; 29:11)
* They spend more than they should. (21:20)
If there are folks in our life that exhibit even a few of these characteristics, we need to be careful. They are a danger to our heart, mind, and perhaps our bodies.
Is there hope for a fool? I love Proverbs 26:12: "Do you see one wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than him." This proverb is a reminder we can be more foolish than a fool with our own arrogance. Arrogance elevates ourselves above GOD.
Before our redemption, we were fools. So, like us, if a fool says, "Yes! GOD is real!" then they will open their lives to His salvation.
We can and should avoid yoking ourselves with fools, but don't give up praying for them and speaking truth. Aren't we glad someone did that for us?
May the fools in our life be revealed, my friends.
Proverbs 17:12, Tree of Life Bible Society, Tree of Life Version - TLV #tlvbible #tlvproverbs
[WATCH Tree of Life Bible Society's CEO, Daniah Greenberg and me, Terri Gillespie, Author dig a little deeper with this proverb. Check us out at Tree of Life Bible Society, Monday through Friday, LIVE at 8:30am EST. Watch previous episodes there as well. Stay wise, my friends!]
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