Repeated Folly

For Friday, October 12, 2007
Proverbs 26:11

Like a dog that returns to his vomit
is a fool who repeats his folly.

There are some images we would prefer not to enter our minds! It is nauseating behavior. What possesses a dog to do such a thing? Whatever it is, it is common in dogs. So it is with the fool. Indeed, this is what marks a fool as being a fool. He repeats his foolish behavior as though it is instinct.

All of us commit foolish behavior. We say and do things that afterwards we rue. "What was I thinking?" The mark of a maturing mind is to learn from foolish mistakes. We will make mistakes. We will act foolishly. But if we are maturing, we will learn from them and become wiser.

The fool not only doesn't learn from his folly, he does not catch on that he is committing folly. What disgusts everyone else, he thinks is funny or clever. He doesn't even catch on how others feel about him.

And so man appears before God. It in his great intellect and sophistication he grovels before images that have no reality; he values and praises the ridiculous. He mocks the truly wise. He scoffs at God. He even kills God when he appears. He looks back at God Incarnate and belittles him or turns him into an image that man can be comfortable with. And he thinks he is wise to do so. How does God view such a person? Re-read the proverb.

The Wounding Archer

For Thursday, October 11, 2007
Proverbs 26:10

Like an archer who wounds everyone
is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.

When we take risks we must first count the cost, not only for ourselves but others. It may seem humorous at the time to give a fool or drunkard a job to do; it may seem compassionate. But we must consider how others will be affected.

There are those better equipped for the work who lose jobs because because of an impulse to hire a fools. There are the fellow workers whose work is now made more difficult because the fool not only cannot carry his load but interferes with them. There are the recipients of the fool's work - customers, passersby who are endangered, and others whose welfare is endangered.

The circumstances here are far different from those in Jesus' parable about the man who hires laborers at different times of the day and pays them all the same wage. Some might call that owner a fool to part with his money so easily, but he alone incurrs a risk. It is his money to do with as he pleases. But one ought not to use his money to place risks in the lives of others.

The bottomline is that we are to carefully consider the consequences of our actions, especially those actions that seem like a compassionate thing to do. Misguided compassion produces the opposite of its intent. The fool is not made wiser, the drunkard is not reformed, and those who are innocent and well-deserving are harmed. Do good works, but count the cost for others and act with discernment.

The Thorny Mouth

For Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Proverbs 26:9

Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard
is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

Whether we visualize a thorn pressing into the hand of a drunkard or of a drunkard wielding a thorn branch, the reaction is "Ouch!" So is the reaction of hearing a fool speak a proverb. What comes out of a wise person's mouth sounding profound and noble, comes out like the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard from a fool's mouth.

Why is this? For one, the fool obviously does not keep the proverb and so the irony is felt. The fool is not quite like the hypocrite who knows that he does not live what he preaches. The fool thinks he is wise. He thinks he truly models the proverb he speaks. He would agree with all the previous proverbs of this chapter, hoping that fools would heed them.

Another reason for the "pain" of hearing a fool speak a proverb is that he invariably misapplies it. He is like the sluggard who delights in quoting Jesus' remark not to worry about tomorrow, or like the greedy person quoting Jesus, "Ask, and it will be given to you." It is such misuse, or abuse, of wise teachings that is painful to hear.

Let us then be careful ourselves when we quote scripture. It is better to have nothing to say than to take God's truth and turn it into a false teaching.

Foolish Honor

For Monday, October 8, 2007
Proverbs 26:8

Like one who binds the stone in the sling
is one who gives honor to a fool.

It is of no purpose to bind a stone in a sling. The very purpose of a sling is to hurl a stone. It makes no sense. Nor does it make sense to honor a fool, at least not to honor him for his very foolishness.

We live in a society that seems to make a point of honoring fools. Making outrageous, offensive remarks or performing the same sort of stunts earns accolades. Our society confuses offensive and foolish behavior with freedom and creativity. The clown is upheld for making his mark.

Society plays the fool just as the person who binds the stone in the sling. Gaining attention is the honor a fool most craves. It makes little difference whether the givers sincerely honor him or think they are having the last laugh. They play into the fool's hands.

Understand this principle the next time you are tempted to respond to foolish behavior or speech. The media thrives on controversy. Of greater importance than being respected is to garner attention, and no threat is greater to its well being than to be ignored. The same is true of all fools. You may honor or mock them; what they fear most of all is being ignored.