Fools Throwing Away Wisdom II

Saturday, August 27, 2022

6 You’re only asking for trouble

    when you send a message by a fool.

7 A proverb quoted by fools

    is limp as a wet noodle.

8 Putting a fool in a place of honor

    is like setting a mud brick on a marble column.

9 To ask a moron to quote a proverb

    is like putting a scalpel in the hands of a drunk.

10 Hire a fool or a drunkard

    And you shoot yourself in the foot.

-Proverbs 26:6-10 The Message

6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool

    cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

7 Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless,

    is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

8 Like one who binds the stone in the sling

    is one who gives honor to a fool.

9 Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard

    is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

10 Like an archer who wounds everyone

    is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.

-Proverbs 26:6-10 ESV

Verses 6-11; 17-19; 23 studies: These are a list of contradictions that should typically never be together.

Verse 6 study: Asking a fool to do errands is asking for trouble.

Verse 7 study: From a fool’s mouth, a proverb becomes useless as a paralyzed leg. Some people are blind to where wisdom won’t work, even when needing proverbs. It’s only people that have receptive attitudes to make the most out of them. If we wait to learn from God, he will respond and pour his heart out to us. Wisdom being said by a foolish person is so incongruous within his character that it loses power.

Verse 8 study: When someone in a group causes tension, the leader usually tries to make him loyal and productive by placing privilege or responsibility. It doesn’t work because it won’t go anywhere. It’s like trying to tie a stone to a sling. It will only come back and swing at you. New power may be just what the person causing tension needs to manipulate the group.

Verse 9 study:  When a thorn pricks us, that’s an alert so we can remove the thorn before it causes damage. A drunk person may not feel the thorn, so it will work its way into his flesh. Similarly, a fool may not feel the sting of a proverb because he doesn’t see where it touches his life. So a fool won’t take the point to heart; he will go to his church, employer, spouse, or whoever and apply his rebellion against those. So the next time you find yourself saying, “So-and-so should pay attention to that,” stop and ask yourself, “is there a message in it for me?”