Proverbs Study – Lesson 36 (Proverbs chapter 26:1-12)
V. 1 It is fairly obvious that it is a very strange phenomenon to see snow in the summer anywhere north of the equator. But, one might think that it was not too strange to see rain during harvest time. Rain during harvest here in the North America region is not all that uncommon. But, in Palestine in was almost unheard of, or at least very rare. In that region it is rare enough that some considered it a supernatural sign if it happens. So much so that in I Samuel 12:17 Samuel used it as a sign from the Lord to convince Israel that he was right and they were making a bad decision. So it is with bestowing honor upon a fool. A fool is never worthy of honor. Honor is earned, and a fool will never put in the effort to earn it. Putting a fool or wicked person in a place of honor is a bad move even if they are a relative or good friend. Their foolish behavior or selfish agendas will bring reproach on an honorable position and eventually back on you.
V. 2 People say all kinds of things. They give opinions on this and predictions on that. Much of it is just that, an opinion. Many of these opinions or predictions are founded on not much except a feeling or desire, having no inside information or logical rational. But, people say things. They pronounce on us blessings and curses. Some we receive others we cast aside as idle talk. But …some we do take to heart, acting on what was said, changing our life or direction even though what was said may in reality have no bearing on us if left to stand on its own merit. This verse reminds us that a curse pronounced on us or in our direction cannot find its mark or destination in our life unless it is indeed meant for us.
Curses pronounced on us come from many directions. If the source is obscure we tend to evaluate what is said much more objectively casting aside foolish comments or criticisms. But, sometimes we receive curses from esteemed sources. Sources that are hard to ignore, our friends, our family members or enemies with a reputation or background. They come with credentials or a degree. Many curses pronounced on us when objectively evaluated have no basis at all. We can carry a curse given by our parent for years only to find out too late that it had no basis of truth at all. Many curses only become reality because we decided to act on what was said instead of casting aside the untruth that was thrown in our direction. Much of what comes to be from a soothsayer’s prediction is because of this. This verse reminds us that although sometimes people share warnings that can be helpful and detour us from a tragedy, other things are said as curses that have no bearing on us at all being said to intimidate or said out of hate or jealousy meant to stop us from moving ahead in life. A curse is like a bird that you see flying by. It will land only where it is going, most of the time going right past us never to be seen by us again.
In Vs. 3-12 Solomon gives attention to wisdom in dealing with foolish people. You cannot reason with a fool. A fool only learns by force. It has been said that most of what we learn is in the ‘University of Hard Knocks’. Well if that is true then I guess that we all fall into the foolish category from time to time. However, a true fool tends to only learn in this manner. There are those that are truly hard to teach whether it is because of their inability or their personality and being patient and persistent in our instruction can pay off. But, some no matter how much time or effort you might give the situation seem only to do what is needed by using some form of force. This verse is not advocating the use of meanness even when dealing with a fool. It is, however, saying that you may need to build a fire under a fool or put some pressure of consequences in their direction to get them to act. Reasoning will not work. Nor, are they motivated by the benefit that comes with good actions taken. For their benefit there are times when we may need to be direct with a fool to get them to act appropriately in a situation.
V. 4 and 5 at first look seem to contradict each other. The first says that we may be tempted to try to relate out of desperation to a fool on their level trying to get them to eventually act in a more responsible fashion, kind of like carrot and stick. But, his admonition to us is to not waist our time. It won’t work, it won’t accomplish our goal. V. 5, however, tells us to be careful how we approach or interact with a fool. If we are not careful as we help a fool they may honestly believe that their foolish approach actually had benefit and worked. Pride almost always goes hand in hand with a foolish spirit and encouraging them to repeat foolish behavior when in reality it was our intervention that produced a good or beneficial outcome is not good. Answering a fool in his folly can at times have benefit, allowing them to act and receive the natural consequence of their action and not allowing them to take credit for your help.
V. 6 goes on to say that a fool cannot be trusted with an important task. Even a simple message entrusted to a fool can get loused up causing trouble or misunderstanding injuring relationships or costing money. In doing so it is truly like drinking poison. You know better. What were you thinking? The outcome of doing so can have the same effect of an accident initiating permanent disability.
V. 7 Reminds us that a fool has no ability to tell a parable meant to relay a truth or give sensible instruction. First they cannot understand it so in order to have any possibility of getting the right message across their only hope would be to recite the parable exactly as given. This will never happen. A fool has no ability to do so because they are not usually gifted in memorization and also in reciting the parable they would usually interpret the parable foolishly getting the meaning of it wrong ending up emphasizing a wrong and very foolish point.
V. 8 At first this may seem like a simple proverb having reference to the foolishness of tying a stone to the pouch of a sling and then expecting to get the same result as you normally would when you go to use it. It doesn’t fit. It doesn’t work. So it is for the attempt of trying to tie or bind honor to a fool. However, this verse is not so easily interpreted. In the original text it actually seems to give a totally different analogy. In the original it actually gives the impression that it is foolish to use something of value that is small to increase the mass of worthless or valueless material. Valuable things are much better used and saved for special occasions where their value will be appreciated. If you were selling scrap by weight you would never include valuable items in the bulk mass sold. The net additional increase in doing so is miniscule. So it is with adding honor to an undeserving person such as a fool. The jewel of honor that you give will not raise their status enough to make any real difference for them or for anyone else.
V.9 Every proverb or parable has an underlying meaning. Some translations of this verse use parable others use proverb. A parable or proverb is meant to relay a truth or tell a story, meant to get across a point most often with some significance to life. It is meant to be helpful and to be instructive. A wise person willing to be instructed in truth looks for the meaning of a parable seeing if the truth found in that parable can be helpful and applied in their life. When confronted with a parable a wise person’s first response is to understand it’s meaning, the truth it contains. A fool on the other hand cares nothing about the truth contained in a parable only how it can be used to get what they want. In doing so they can add things to a parable or proverb that are not meant to be there or leave things out or even emphases the wrong point making it mean something that it was not intended to mean. It is like a drunkard that has a thorn bush in their hand, waving it around indiscriminately attempting to be wise sharing information that is not only not wise, but information that if applied will be painful and injurious. In doing so a fool not only harms others, but harms themselves. This proverb can very often be applied to the foolish that attempt to twist the truth of biblical wisdom confusing themselves and others injuring many. V. 10 says that like a transgressor, a fool, receives a reward. Even though a fool may not be involved in the actual act of the application of the foolishness they espouse here it says that they do not get away as if innocent. God sees it as if they are part of the transgression perpetrating and instigating wrong behavior and mistruth. V. 11 goes on to say that it is the way of a fool to do this being his nature. It does not matter how many times their foolishness has injured others and caused them pain they return yet again and again to their destructive practices. To them at the time it is sport and play, but in the end they and their loved ones are hurt and wounded.
V. 12 tells us that as bad as the consequences of a fool’s lifestyle are there is one thing worse, …a person blinded by pride. Pride is really a fool to the nth degree. There is nothing worse. There is no hope for someone that is proud that cannot see his wrong. Even a fool realizes at times that they are foolish, making the excuse that they know this but cannot help it. At least there is the remote possibility that someday they might give in to the thought that they might need help. A proud person never has a chance to turn from their ways because they truly do not see any wrong. Conceit sees no error even if one is totally wrong. This is a dangerous place to be.
good lesson
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