Three things that no one wants to be characterized as - a fool, a sluggard or a gossip. Solomon gives some red flags for each of those in this chapter. He talks about their behavior patterns and their motivations (or lack thereof).
Here's the difficult part for me: do I see myself in there anywhere? When I look in the mirror, are there habits or actions in my life that put me in company I don't want to keep?
Which verses were especially convicting to you?
“Man is the measure of all things: of things which are, that they are, and of things which are not, that they are not." Protagoras (ca. 490– 420 BC), ancient Greek philosopher [emphasis mine]
ReplyDeleteSo many comments about fools in Proverbs 26! A few phrases associated with fools and their associates: Honor is not fitting... A rod for his back... Like cutting off one's feet or drinking violence... Like a lame man's legs that hang limp... Like a thornbush in a drunkard's hand... Like an archer who wounds at random... As a dog returns to his vomit. And then -- then we come to verse 12: "Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him." Wow! More hope for a fool? Pretty strong language, coming on the heels of the preceding verses!
Any assessment is only as good as the ruler used to measure it. With our limited perspective and knowledge, we dare not (as in the above quote) set ourselves up as the standard. I hear the Apostle Paul's admonition to use sober (sound) judgment in our assessment of ourselves... which comes back to "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." This means we will probably be called on to do some things that don't make sense by the world's standards. No matter. Connect the dots: righteousness... wisdom... fear of the LORD... the links are unmistakable!
♪♫♪♫"Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus..."♪♫♪♫
Vs. 20 Without wood a fire goes out;
ReplyDeletewithout gossip a quarrel dies down.
Matt, are you wood or water? Are you stoking verbal fires or putting them out?
Verses 4 & 5--I don't want to stoop to the level of a fool. The sluggard is something I really need God's help in getting rid of in my life. Verses 13-16 are something that I want to change. Verse 22 is something I strive to not do. Verse 24. Verse 26--everything that is hidden will be exposed like a film negative(see Prov. 5:14 & Luke 8:17). Verse 28--another example of a double life getting exposed.
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