Proverbs 26: Fools, Slackers, Meddlers, Gossips, and Liars
(CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
We often see the quote, “Hurt people hurt people,” but I’ve never fully agreed with that. From my own experiences, and what I’ve seen in others who experienced hurt, hurt people often become extremely empathetic to the pain of others. They would never cause it intentionally. But a fool doesn’t function that way.
In Psalm 14:1, we read…
Psalms 14:1a WEBUS
[1] The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
https://bible.com/bible/206/psa.14.1.WEBUS
Today’s reading in Proverbs Chapter 26 deals a lot with fools in addition to other types of people who tend to regularly hurt other people. The chapter begins with a sort of what’s wrong with this picture statement…
Proverbs 26:1 WEBUS
[1] Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.
https://bible.com/bible/206/pro.26.1.WEBUS
Though the little kids immediately run to play under the snowing tree in the summertime, the adults are likely confused by this oddity. Snow is a winter thing with maybe a few surprise downpours at the end of fall and beginning of spring. But by the time summer and lemonade show up, it’s definitely not right to have snow–even over only one tree. And it’s not right to give honor and preference to a foolish person, especially with what is likely in their hearts. Verse 8 even tells us what we are like if we’re the one who offers honor to a fool…
Proverbs 26:8 WEBUS
[8] As one who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives honor to a fool.
https://bible.com/bible/206/pro.26.8.WEBUS
It makes sense. What good would a rock tied into a sling do when you need to throw it. Like those old, dangerous toys called “Klick-Klacks” or “Clackers,” (there’s an interesting article about that toy at A Woman’s World magazine online) it’s a recipe for disaster. And it would certainly not help you with hunting–or killing giant Philistines. We must not assign improper honor based on our feelings. Like saying, “God bless you” to a person who would only dig deeper into their sins if they only had blessings and no struggles to make them stop and look at their conditions. It’s not loving to honor and uplift someone who’s stuck in foolishness and needs a jolt of reality to repent and be set free.
Verses 3-12 have so much more to say about fools than I can put here. It’s almost a blog post already created for April 1st. 😁 Verse 11 is the saddest one as it says that a fool never learns…
Proverbs 26:11 WEBUS
[11] As a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.
https://bible.com/bible/206/pro.26.11.WEBUS
Verses 13-16 switch subjects and talk about slackers, or sluggards in the World English Bible. And since verse 16 says the slacker is wise in his own eyes, I’m guessing the teacher is showing the slacker is just another type of fool. He then switches subjects again and begins talking about meddlers who (again foolishly) meddle in others’ business and how it’s like grabbing a dog by the ears. We know what happens there. I’m not sure if the joker in verses 18-19 is the same meddler from verse 17, but saying he was only joking doesn’t fix his offenses either way.
As the chapter finishes out with verses 20-28, the subject turns to gossip. It seems this gossip is a contentious liar who hates those he makes into his victims. He is somehow able to convince people to listen (silver-covered lips speaking dainty morsels in verses 22-23), but when things turn on the listener, that one will become even more of a victim because the hateful gossip will convince him it’s all his fault. I see this manipulation as the gossip being yet another type of fool: an arrogant one. But back in verse 20, we get the wisdom that if we just don’t allow the words of the gossip to spread, the quarrels will die like a fire with no fuel.
So this chapter didn’t have a lot of happy blessings to hand out unless you consider warnings that protect you from being victimized as its own type of blessing. I do. And I’m thankful for wisdom that works hand-in-hand with discernment to protect us. Sadly, we often let our feelings get in the way of both discernment and wisdom, but that’s where walking with God helps us get through the hard places in this life, even if we brought them on ourselves. But, there is one huge piece of good news in this chapter, so I’ll end with what it says in verse 2…
Proverbs 26:2 WEBUS
[2] Like a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so the undeserved curse doesn’t come to rest.
https://bible.com/bible/206/pro.26.2.WEBUS
It seems out of place in this chapter, but it’s a statement of faith to undo the lies and harms of the subjects in all the other verses. Resist even the accusations of foolish ramblings and know their manipulative curses will not be able to stand against you and rest in your life.
Share this post on:
Proverbs 2: The Shadow on Your Path
Proverbs Chapter 1 is all about the purpose of wisdom, and how wisdom can set you up on a right path. Yesterday, I talked about how the right kind of fear of God would open doors to that wisdom. Today, in Proverbs Chapter 2, we’ll read about some of the obstacles found on that path. Visit https://www.bible.com/bible/1713/PRO.2.CSB to read the chapter in the Christian Standard Bible. You can change the version once you’re there if you like.
So what is wisdom worth? Is it all about being smarter? Knowing all the rules? Awareness? Having all the answers? Maybe a little of those, but I believe the best aspect of wisdom is discernment. The definition of that word from Merriam-Webster is “the quality of being able to grasp what is obscure.” A couple synonyms there are insight and perception. Most people either want those things or want to know someone with them, so they can find the answers to obscure questions that escape their grasp. But here in this chapter, the father is assuring his son that if he seeks wisdom like he would seek gold and silver, he will have that grasp when he needs it.
Verses 7 and 8 describe how God stores up success for those on the path of The Lord. They go on to say how God is a shield of protection who will guard that path of justice and protect that way for His followers. Verse 10 says you’ll have discretion for protection and understanding for a guard over you. Or, as the EasyEnglish Bible says, “you will know the right thing to do, and that will keep you safe.” And the reasons for needing all this protection are highlighted in verses 12 through 19 with the warnings to avoid evil people who abandon right paths and especially the forbidden woman who flatters young men to drag them into her house of death.
Now that we are about 3000 years beyond the writing of these words of wisdom, we can take a simple walk through history to see how correct these instructions were and still are. Those who follow the path of the cross of Jesus Christ know how valuable His wisdom is, was, and always will be. He is the shadow on the old paths before Calvary since Scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:4b that, “they all drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.” And His cross is the shadow on our paths now as we follow Him and seek to walk in His ways. Don’t try to be good all on your own. Walk in the shadow of the cross and let it be the shadow on your path of life.
Share this post on:
My Latest Flickr Photos
Others’ Posts I’ve Liked
Crystal Writes A Blog 
Follow the Angel of God
Angel with Lights by Flickr User Lois Elling aka CatDancing, CC License = Attribution, Noncommercial
Click image to open new tab/window to view original image and to access user’s full photo stream at Flickr.
Do a Flickr image search of the word angel, and you’ll get a huge variety of images that you may or may not consider to be angelic. We have so many ideas in our minds of what it means to be an angel, from believing that good people (especially children) die and become angels in Heaven, to believing they are all beautiful and have halos and feathery wings. I won’t say I’m any kind of specialist in angels, but I do know they are placed in service of humans, and I know they desire to look into this thing we know as grace because their obedience is compelled rather than free will. But even though they are assigned to serve and protect us, they are still worthy of respect for their God-given powers and their position in God’s realm.
As a quick note here: I have learned through study that the word halo comes from the Greek word helios and concerns sun worship. If you put the sun behind the head of a person, the ring surrounding their head looks very much like the halos we put on the heads of all we would consider to be angelic, including images of Jesus Christ. This is just a little commercial break for your information since we’re talking about angels. Now, back to our regular programming. 🙂
In today’s very short reading from Exodus 23:20 through Exodus 23:25, Yahveh is speaking to His people about the angel He is sending before them to guide them and to guard them. God tells the people to pay attention to him, to listen to him, and to not rebel against him. He adds that the angel will not forgive them of any wrongdoing because God’s name dwells in him. In this sentence, I’m thinking it might actually mean, don’t expect the angel to forgive you just because God’s name is in him. I say that because of new testament Scripture that says God alone is able to forgive sins.
The reading goes on to encourage the people that their guardian angel will be an enemy to their enemies and a foe to their foes. God tells them that when the angel leads them to lands inhabited by their enemies, God will make an end of those enemies. Then God reminds them to not worship any of their gods or follow in their practices, but rather they are to smash their statues to pieces. I’m thinking here that this was God’s way of telling the people that they did not need to fear what their enemies might do to them, since people are generally very protective of gods they worship–even false gods–because they believe those gods are looking out for them and providing for them. Destroying them is the same as destroying their hopes. But, because they are false gods, and because Israel serves the true God and is being protected by His angel, they can stand for Yahveh even to the extent of destroying that which is false.
As the reading comes to an end, Yahveh reminds Israel of His provision for them. He tells them to serve Him and Him alone, and that He will bless their food and water. He goes on to tell them that He will even take sickness away from them. He gives them plenty of reason to trust Him, follow His lead, be obedient, and not fear any of their enemies. We have these same promises and provisions, but like Israel, we often back down and fear standing on something that might offend those who worship false gods. Of course, it is often confusing to determine when to stand against wrong by doing something like destroying that which is false and trying to be harmless as doves, but if we can become more sensitive to God’s voice, maybe we can stand more strongly. Lord help us to know what strongholds You have given us direction and strength to stand against and to tear down.
Share this post on:
January 30, 2014 Posted by Crystal A Murray (aka CrystalWriter) | Bible Study, Nonfiction, Torah Commentary | Adonai, Almighty, angel, Angel of The Lord, Bible, Bible Gateway, Bible reading, Bible study, Complete Jewish Bible, Creator, crystalwriter, Exodus, God, guardian angel, guide, Holy Bible, Israel, Lord, obedience, Old Covenant, Old Testament, Parashah, Portions, protection, protector, provision, Scripture, The Complete Jewish Bible, Torah, Torah commentary, Torah Portions, Torah Reading, Word, Word of God, Word of the Lord, www.biblegateway.com, Yahveh, Yahweh | Leave a comment