# 41 2023 Dev. Prov. 26:12. Wisdom! Read all of chapter twenty six first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story! Do you believe that this is also our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.
Proverbs 26:12 “Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.”
Proverbs 26 continues with more proverbs of Solomon. This chapter seems to continue from Ch. 25, perhaps also compiled by King Hezekiah of Judah. Still using couplets mostly complementing each other, but the first half of the chapter highlights the folly of fools. The last section gives us good advice.
Vs.1-12 Do you know a foolish person? They have no honor, they curse those who do not deserve it, they are compared to horse and donkey. “Do not answer a fool according to his folly… Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.” Interaction with fools is a detriment to you, proverbs are not spoken by fools. “Like a thorn bush in a drunkard’s hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool…so fools repeat their folly.” V.12 says it all: “Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.” Humility, discernment and listening, really listening to God and to others is the road to wisdom!
Vs.13-16 highlight being lazy. “A sluggard says, ‘There’s a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!’” A lazy person justifies his inaction with all kinds of excuses!A lazy person “turns on his bed.” but is going no where. If one is not willing to work, food will be hard to come by! “A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly.” We all make up many excuses not to do something that should be done. Is this procrastination, is it laziness, or both? You decide for yourself, but things do not get done if you don’t move to do them!
Vs.17- 28 are a series of problematic actions. One should not rush “into a quarrel not their own. Like a maniac…is one who deceives their neighbor and says, ‘I was only joking!’”
Vs.20-22 Is an issue to pay attention to: “Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife. The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.” This proverb highlights what is dividing this country!
Vs.23-26 high lights the enemy. Should people whose views differ become enemies? At what point does that happen? Think about that! “Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit. Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts. Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.” Wickedness will be exposed. Voters, empowered with truth, will sort it out! Open your minds and your eyes!
“Whoever digs a pit will fall into it… and a flattering mouth works ruin.”
Evil will not prevail. Thank God
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