We are going to continue the topical series on the book of Proverbs that Carl introduced last week. This is a topical series because if you read the Proverbs, it is kind of like reading the dictionary. There are many different topics in a single chapter. The neat thing about that is by reading a single chapter of Proverbs, you are exposed to wisdom applied to a wide spectrum of your life. So, God allowed Proverbs in the best possible way. However, for a message like today, it would be a challenge to go line by line through Proverbs. So, we are going to take a topical approach looking at wisdom and folly.
Wisdom versus Folly. What a title! It is an epic battle isn’t it? Wisdom squares off against Folly in a fight to the finish. Could you imagine?
In this corner, shining brighter than the dawn, radiant in truth, formed by God Himself before the foundations of the world, we have Wisdom. And in this corner, lurking in the shadows, bringing only punishment, causing wounds to fester, is Folly.
Before we get underway, let’s break these combatants down with some help from Ecclesiastes. How do wisdom and folly compare?
As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. Ecclesiastes 10:1
So folly has the weight advantage over wisdom, but that does not necessarily mean that Folly will prevail. Because Ecclesiastes 9:16 says …
… Wisdom is better than strength. Ecclesiastes 9:16
And likewise Ecclesiastes 9:18 says …
Wisdom is better than weapons of war … Ecclesiastes 9:18
Wisdom has virtues of its own that positions it well in a fight. The last verse I want to share from Ecclesiastes 2:13 may tell it all.
I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness. Ecclesiastes 2:13
So wisdom is better than folly. Wisdom can take folly in the same way that light overcomes the darkness. It looks like this may be a short fight.
Okay, okay, so this message isn’t really about a center stage, all universe title bout between wisdom and folly. But there is a battle going on, and the battle is real. It’s not about bragging rights, a trophy, or a belt. The battle between wisdom and folly is being played out in each one of our lives. Each one of us is a battleground between wisdom and folly. The interesting thing is that each one of us has a big part in which one will prevail, which one will win or which one will have the most influence or sway in our day to day living.
Let’s take a moment and look at the modern definitions of wisdom and folly. I think this is especially important around the word folly since it often has a harmless or laughable bent in most of our day to day use.
Webster’s Dictionary defines wisdom as:
1 a: accumulated philosophic or scientific learning : knowledge
b: ability to discern inner qualities and relationships : insight
c: good sense : judgment
d: generally accepted belief
2: a wise attitude, belief, or course of action
3: the teachings of the ancient wise men
If we substitute God for “ancient wise men” in definition 3, I think this is a fair overview of wisdom. When the Bible is talking about wisdom, it is often focused on definition 1b. Wisdom is all about knowing how to handle any situation in the best possible way.
On the other hand, Webster’s Dictionary defines folly as:
1: lack of good sense or normal prudence and foresight
2 a: criminally or tragically foolish actions or conduct
b: (obsolete) evil, wickedness; especially: lewd behavior
3: a foolish act or idea
4: an excessively costly or unprofitable undertaking
Looking at definitions 1, 3 and 4, folly can come across as something to make light of. Today, I usually think of folly in terms of carelessness or accident rather than something premeditated or serious.
But, when the Bible talks about folly, it is more focused on definition 2 and even going into the obsolete definition 2b. Biblical folly is criminally and even deadly serious. It is not carelessness, it is not an accident.
You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you. Psalm 69:5
“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him ‘unclean’? For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body. … What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’” Mark 7:18-23
You guys have seen the movie Cars, right? If you haven’t, I’ll give you a brief synopsis. It’s about stock car racing. The main character is a young, arrogant race car named Lightning McQueen. Early in the movie, Lightning McQueen nearly loses a race because of his arrogance. After the race, he is confronted by an older race car. Do you remember what The King tells Lightning?
The King: You got more talent in one lugnut than a lot of cars has got on their whole body.
Lightning McQueen: Really? Oh, that -...
The King: But you're stupid.
Lightning McQueen: Excuse me?
The King: This ain't a one-man deal, kid. You need to wise-up …
Folly is like that. It’s not about being stupid because of ignorance or lack of opportunity. Poor little old me, nobody told me what to do. It’s about in our pride choosing to be stupid, choosing not to learn, and choosing to do the wrong thing. Folly is the result of a fool in action.
Proverbs 9 details the battle between wisdom and folly. We usually think of a proverb as a short saying. However, the Hebrew word translated proverb is a little more inclusive. In fact, half the time it is translated as proverb and the other half it is translated parable. So, in Proverbs 9, we find this parable.
Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars. She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. She has sent out her maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city. “Let all who are simple come in here!” she says to those who lack judgment. “Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding. … The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.” Proverbs 9:1-6, 10-11
The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge. She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way. “Let all who are simple come in here!” she says to those who lack judgment. “Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!” But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave. Proverbs 9:13-18
A couple of comparisons and contrasts here: Wisdom built her house, she prepared food and drink, she sent her maids and she calls. Folly sits and calling out only to those who pass by. Wisdom is working, working double overtime. Folly is lazy doing nothing. But notice they both call out the same thing. “Let all who are simple come in here!” Folly is trying to trap the simple and saddle them with bad advice. What are the consequences of pursuing wisdom? Years added to your life. What is the consequence of pursuing folly? Her guests go to the depths of the grave. The preceding phrase is frightening to me. “The dead are there.” Nobody keeps dead people in their house. This makes me think that the guests of folly are spiritually dead. They may be physically alive, but they are dead to spiritual things. They are dead to God. They are dead to Christ.
There are a bunch of verses about wisdom and folly. There is simply not enough time to go through them all this morning. However, I did find a topical study that does a good job summarizing the contrasts. Even still, there were twenty points in this list, but I shortened it … to seventeen. Fittingly, the title of this list is, “Don’t be a Fool!”
http://exegeticalreflections.wordpress.com/2007/04/12/dont-be-a-fool-wisdom-and-folly-in-proverbs/
1. Wisdom and folly are ethical qualities that reside in the heart. (14:33; 19:1) Thus, there is an obvious difference in the lifestyles of the wise and foolish. (13:16; 14:8, 16)
If you seek out wisdom, you will behave differently that if you run after folly.
Every prudent man acts out of knowledge, but a fool exposes his folly. Proverbs 13:16
2. Wisdom serves as both the motivation for and goal of a wise person; a fool seeks only folly. (15:14; 17:24)
Isn’t that cool? Pursuing wisdom is self-fueling. Once you begin to gain wisdom, Proverbs says you will continue to seek wisdom.
3. The fool has a detrimental effect upon his/her family. (10:1; 11:29; 14:1; 15:20; 17:21, 25; 19:13)
He who brings trouble on his family will inherit only wind … Proverbs 11:29
Quite literally, if we bring trouble on our families, we can bankrupt our homes or businesses. In the end, there would be nothing to inherit.
4. The stupidity of fools is most evident in their speech (14:3; 18:7), which conceals hatred and slanders others (10:18), continuously spouts stupidity and folly (15:2), reveals the foolishness of their heart (15:7), provokes only anger and fighting (18:6), and does not speak proverbs appropriately (26:7, 9). Thus, excellent speech is unfitting for such individuals (17:7), and so the only recourse is simply for them to quit talking. (17:28).
Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue. Proverbs 17:28
5. The wise person lives an enriched life; the fool’s life is full of destruction and folly. (10:21; 14:24; 16:22).
The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment. Proverbs 10:21
6. Whereas the wise person enjoys wisdom, a fool enjoys making a sport out of wickedness. (10:23; 13:19)
7. Fools are wise in their own eyes, but the wise respond positively to counsel. (12:15; 26:12; 28:26) The wise receive knowledge well; that fools do not is revealed by the ruin that comes by their mouth. (10:8, 10, 14) Fools reject the very discipline they need and deserve. (15:5; 17:10; 19:29; 26:3; 27:22) Fools neither desire nor delight in wisdom. (17:16; 18:2)
8. The fool’s emotions are consistently uncontrolled. (12:16; 19:3; 29:11)
A fool is filled with rage which they even dare to turn toward God.
A man's own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the LORD. Proverbs 19:3
9. Wise people downplay their own knowledge; fools speak forth their stupidity openly. (12:23)
10. The fool returns to his folly again and again. (26:11) The company of fools should be avoided. (13:20; 14:7; 17:12)
11. Fools should not be entrusted with jobs that require faithfulness. (26:6, 10) Since fools reject wisdom, they are unfit for community leadership. (24:7)
12. A wise person acknowledges and deals with sin; fools mock dealing with sin. (14:9)
A fool does not feel guilt for sin. They are not sorry. They don’t make amends or try to set things right.
13. Although it can be the case, luxury and honor are not fitting for a fool. (19:10; 26:1, 8) Also, the fool wastes his material goods. (21:20)
14. Fools love to quarrel, and the irritation they bring makes one’s mood heavy. (20:3; 27:3) But, a wise person will avoid debate with a fool. (23:9; 29:9)
A couple of thoughts come to mind from this list. I heard Charles Stanley around Easter, and he was preaching the gospel very strongly, and he said this, “I can’t scare you into heaven, but if I could, I would.” Likewise, I would say today, “I can’t scare you away from folly, but if I could, I would.” Folly brings disaster.
Another thought is that the list was long on the risks of folly, but short on the good things about wisdom, so real quickly. Proverbs has this to say about the good of wisdom:
• If you love it, Wisdom will save you, protect you, watch over you, and keep you safe (2:12, 4:6, 28:26)
• Wisdom is precious, more valuable that rubies, gold or silver (8:11, 16:16)
• If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you (9:12, 21:20)
• If you get wisdom, you love your own soul (19:8) Wisdom is sweet to your soul (24:14)
• Wisdom gives patience (19:11)
• Wisdom brightens a man’s face (Ecc 8:1)
• Wisdom is supreme (4:7)
With as bad as folly is, and as good as wisdom is, it’s pretty easy at this point to think, “I’m not going to give in to folly. I’m going to follow wisdom.” And don’t get me wrong. That’s a great choice. I’m behind you 100%. But if you look around in your acquaintances, people that you know, and especially in the media, you find people who have fallen into folly.
We can talk about the hardening process by which someone becomes a fool (http://fbcbenbrook.wordpress.com/2011/01/26/the-character-deformation-of-a-fool-meditation-on-proverbs-26/), but from where we are today, I’m more concerned about identifying the exit ramp on the highway of life that leads toward folly.
So how do you get tangled up in folly? Proverbs gives us some help.
A whip for the horse, a halter for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes. Like cutting off one's feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool. Like a lame man's legs that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool. Like a thornbush in a drunkard's hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or any passer-by. As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. Proverbs 26:3-12
Pride is one of the main entrance ramps into folly. If we think we are wise, if we think we know it all, if we think we are above God’s righteousness and we can do whatever we want, folly is not far off.
We already talked about how hanging around fools is bad news. If you hang around fools, you’re bound to get tripped up in folly sooner or later whether it is unintentional or just out of curiosity or what I think is the single most likely way you will end up in folly.
Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe. Proverbs 29:25
We talked about it last week, that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom from chapter 1 in Proverbs. It showed up again today in chapter 9, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. But what is the fear of man? A snare.
If you’re hanging around with the wrong crowd, and they lay into about being a chicken or any other guilt tactic, the fear of man can snag you in a heartbeat. What is the fear of man? I’ve got a great passage from a book by Ed Welch called When People Are Big and God Is Small. (pp. 9-11)
Now we can laugh about it when it’s in the form of a funny story, but this fear of man business is a big deal. King Saul had the kingdom of Israel stripped away from him for this very reason. God gave him a very specific task, but King Saul did not carry it out completely. God sent Samuel to King Saul to tell him that God had rejected Saul as King.
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I violated the LORD's command and your instructions. I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them. Now I beg you, forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD.”
But Samuel said to him, “I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel!” I Samuel 15:24-25
Also, the people in Jesus’ day, rejected him because of the fear of man.
Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God. John 12:42-43
I often thought that this passage was talking about the leaders only, but the leaders are a subset of the many. So leaders or not, some did not confess their faith out of fear of the Pharisees. People don’t come to Christ because of the fear of man, and people don’t share their faith because of the fear of man. The fear of man is a big deal.
Likewise, the fear of man can result in us getting into folly, wickedness and sin. Our fear of the Lord must supersede, or be stronger, than our fear of man. How can you make sure that happens?
Be devoted to the Lord, reading His Word, spending time in prayer, trusting Him with your finances by giving back to Him, sharing your faith with others, serving and loving others. All these things will grow your relationship with the Lord and increase your fear of the Lord.
“I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mortal men, the sons of men, who are but grass, that you forget the LORD your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, that you live in constant terror every day because of the wrath of the oppressor, who is bent on destruction? For where is the wrath of the oppressor? The cowering prisoners will soon be set free; they will not die in their dungeon, nor will they lack bread. For I am the LORD your God, who churns up the sea so that its waves roar--the LORD Almighty is his name. I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand--I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people.’” Isaiah 51:12-16
As we deepen our relationship with Almighty God, the fear of men will slip away, paled by the glory of the Son. S-O-N, not s-u-n.
Last week, we talked about Solomon being the wisest man who ever lived, right? Do you remember what Jesus said about himself?
“… now one greater than Solomon is here.” Matthew 12:42
The people who heard Jesus teach asked …
“Where did this man get this wisdom?” Matthew 13:54
“What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles!” Mark 6:2
If you are seeking wisdom, seek Christ because …
“Christ Jesus … has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” I Corinthians 1:30
There is one last point I want to make. Do you remember way back at the beginning, when I was joking around about the fight between wisdom and folly? At the end, only one will be left standing. Throughout the Bible, there are many prayers and greetings and blessing that offer praise to God. For example, I Timothy 1:17 says,
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. I Timothy 1:17
So there are attributes ascribed to or given to God. Here, it is honor and glory. Throughout the Bible we see many different ones: honor, glory, might, thanks, power, greatness, majesty, splendor, salvation, and the kingdom. Wisdom however does not appear on any of these lists, until you get to Revelation.
In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Revelation 5:12
“Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!” Revelation 7:12
So in the match up of Wisdom vs. Folly, I think we can say that wisdom wins, forever and ever. Let’s pray.
Father God, thank you that you have blessed us with the book of Proverbs. Thank you that you show us what wisdom is. Thank you that your Son is wisdom for us. Thank you that your Holy Spirit is inside of us transforming us to be more like Christ whose wisdom is greater than Solomon’s. Enable us to go deeper with you that our relationship with you would guard us from the fear of man. You are worthy of our every sacrific.
Wisdom versus Folly. What a title! It is an epic battle isn’t it? Wisdom squares off against Folly in a fight to the finish. Could you imagine?
In this corner, shining brighter than the dawn, radiant in truth, formed by God Himself before the foundations of the world, we have Wisdom. And in this corner, lurking in the shadows, bringing only punishment, causing wounds to fester, is Folly.
Before we get underway, let’s break these combatants down with some help from Ecclesiastes. How do wisdom and folly compare?
As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. Ecclesiastes 10:1
So folly has the weight advantage over wisdom, but that does not necessarily mean that Folly will prevail. Because Ecclesiastes 9:16 says …
… Wisdom is better than strength. Ecclesiastes 9:16
And likewise Ecclesiastes 9:18 says …
Wisdom is better than weapons of war … Ecclesiastes 9:18
Wisdom has virtues of its own that positions it well in a fight. The last verse I want to share from Ecclesiastes 2:13 may tell it all.
I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness. Ecclesiastes 2:13
So wisdom is better than folly. Wisdom can take folly in the same way that light overcomes the darkness. It looks like this may be a short fight.
Okay, okay, so this message isn’t really about a center stage, all universe title bout between wisdom and folly. But there is a battle going on, and the battle is real. It’s not about bragging rights, a trophy, or a belt. The battle between wisdom and folly is being played out in each one of our lives. Each one of us is a battleground between wisdom and folly. The interesting thing is that each one of us has a big part in which one will prevail, which one will win or which one will have the most influence or sway in our day to day living.
Let’s take a moment and look at the modern definitions of wisdom and folly. I think this is especially important around the word folly since it often has a harmless or laughable bent in most of our day to day use.
Webster’s Dictionary defines wisdom as:
1 a: accumulated philosophic or scientific learning : knowledge
b: ability to discern inner qualities and relationships : insight
c: good sense : judgment
d: generally accepted belief
2: a wise attitude, belief, or course of action
3: the teachings of the ancient wise men
If we substitute God for “ancient wise men” in definition 3, I think this is a fair overview of wisdom. When the Bible is talking about wisdom, it is often focused on definition 1b. Wisdom is all about knowing how to handle any situation in the best possible way.
On the other hand, Webster’s Dictionary defines folly as:
1: lack of good sense or normal prudence and foresight
2 a: criminally or tragically foolish actions or conduct
b: (obsolete) evil, wickedness; especially: lewd behavior
3: a foolish act or idea
4: an excessively costly or unprofitable undertaking
Looking at definitions 1, 3 and 4, folly can come across as something to make light of. Today, I usually think of folly in terms of carelessness or accident rather than something premeditated or serious.
But, when the Bible talks about folly, it is more focused on definition 2 and even going into the obsolete definition 2b. Biblical folly is criminally and even deadly serious. It is not carelessness, it is not an accident.
You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you. Psalm 69:5
“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him ‘unclean’? For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body. … What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’” Mark 7:18-23
You guys have seen the movie Cars, right? If you haven’t, I’ll give you a brief synopsis. It’s about stock car racing. The main character is a young, arrogant race car named Lightning McQueen. Early in the movie, Lightning McQueen nearly loses a race because of his arrogance. After the race, he is confronted by an older race car. Do you remember what The King tells Lightning?
The King: You got more talent in one lugnut than a lot of cars has got on their whole body.
Lightning McQueen: Really? Oh, that -...
The King: But you're stupid.
Lightning McQueen: Excuse me?
The King: This ain't a one-man deal, kid. You need to wise-up …
Folly is like that. It’s not about being stupid because of ignorance or lack of opportunity. Poor little old me, nobody told me what to do. It’s about in our pride choosing to be stupid, choosing not to learn, and choosing to do the wrong thing. Folly is the result of a fool in action.
Proverbs 9 details the battle between wisdom and folly. We usually think of a proverb as a short saying. However, the Hebrew word translated proverb is a little more inclusive. In fact, half the time it is translated as proverb and the other half it is translated parable. So, in Proverbs 9, we find this parable.
Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars. She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. She has sent out her maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city. “Let all who are simple come in here!” she says to those who lack judgment. “Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding. … The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.” Proverbs 9:1-6, 10-11
The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge. She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way. “Let all who are simple come in here!” she says to those who lack judgment. “Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!” But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave. Proverbs 9:13-18
A couple of comparisons and contrasts here: Wisdom built her house, she prepared food and drink, she sent her maids and she calls. Folly sits and calling out only to those who pass by. Wisdom is working, working double overtime. Folly is lazy doing nothing. But notice they both call out the same thing. “Let all who are simple come in here!” Folly is trying to trap the simple and saddle them with bad advice. What are the consequences of pursuing wisdom? Years added to your life. What is the consequence of pursuing folly? Her guests go to the depths of the grave. The preceding phrase is frightening to me. “The dead are there.” Nobody keeps dead people in their house. This makes me think that the guests of folly are spiritually dead. They may be physically alive, but they are dead to spiritual things. They are dead to God. They are dead to Christ.
There are a bunch of verses about wisdom and folly. There is simply not enough time to go through them all this morning. However, I did find a topical study that does a good job summarizing the contrasts. Even still, there were twenty points in this list, but I shortened it … to seventeen. Fittingly, the title of this list is, “Don’t be a Fool!”
http://exegeticalreflections.wordpress.com/2007/04/12/dont-be-a-fool-wisdom-and-folly-in-proverbs/
1. Wisdom and folly are ethical qualities that reside in the heart. (14:33; 19:1) Thus, there is an obvious difference in the lifestyles of the wise and foolish. (13:16; 14:8, 16)
If you seek out wisdom, you will behave differently that if you run after folly.
Every prudent man acts out of knowledge, but a fool exposes his folly. Proverbs 13:16
2. Wisdom serves as both the motivation for and goal of a wise person; a fool seeks only folly. (15:14; 17:24)
Isn’t that cool? Pursuing wisdom is self-fueling. Once you begin to gain wisdom, Proverbs says you will continue to seek wisdom.
3. The fool has a detrimental effect upon his/her family. (10:1; 11:29; 14:1; 15:20; 17:21, 25; 19:13)
He who brings trouble on his family will inherit only wind … Proverbs 11:29
Quite literally, if we bring trouble on our families, we can bankrupt our homes or businesses. In the end, there would be nothing to inherit.
4. The stupidity of fools is most evident in their speech (14:3; 18:7), which conceals hatred and slanders others (10:18), continuously spouts stupidity and folly (15:2), reveals the foolishness of their heart (15:7), provokes only anger and fighting (18:6), and does not speak proverbs appropriately (26:7, 9). Thus, excellent speech is unfitting for such individuals (17:7), and so the only recourse is simply for them to quit talking. (17:28).
Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue. Proverbs 17:28
5. The wise person lives an enriched life; the fool’s life is full of destruction and folly. (10:21; 14:24; 16:22).
The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment. Proverbs 10:21
6. Whereas the wise person enjoys wisdom, a fool enjoys making a sport out of wickedness. (10:23; 13:19)
7. Fools are wise in their own eyes, but the wise respond positively to counsel. (12:15; 26:12; 28:26) The wise receive knowledge well; that fools do not is revealed by the ruin that comes by their mouth. (10:8, 10, 14) Fools reject the very discipline they need and deserve. (15:5; 17:10; 19:29; 26:3; 27:22) Fools neither desire nor delight in wisdom. (17:16; 18:2)
8. The fool’s emotions are consistently uncontrolled. (12:16; 19:3; 29:11)
A fool is filled with rage which they even dare to turn toward God.
A man's own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the LORD. Proverbs 19:3
9. Wise people downplay their own knowledge; fools speak forth their stupidity openly. (12:23)
10. The fool returns to his folly again and again. (26:11) The company of fools should be avoided. (13:20; 14:7; 17:12)
11. Fools should not be entrusted with jobs that require faithfulness. (26:6, 10) Since fools reject wisdom, they are unfit for community leadership. (24:7)
12. A wise person acknowledges and deals with sin; fools mock dealing with sin. (14:9)
A fool does not feel guilt for sin. They are not sorry. They don’t make amends or try to set things right.
13. Although it can be the case, luxury and honor are not fitting for a fool. (19:10; 26:1, 8) Also, the fool wastes his material goods. (21:20)
14. Fools love to quarrel, and the irritation they bring makes one’s mood heavy. (20:3; 27:3) But, a wise person will avoid debate with a fool. (23:9; 29:9)
A couple of thoughts come to mind from this list. I heard Charles Stanley around Easter, and he was preaching the gospel very strongly, and he said this, “I can’t scare you into heaven, but if I could, I would.” Likewise, I would say today, “I can’t scare you away from folly, but if I could, I would.” Folly brings disaster.
Another thought is that the list was long on the risks of folly, but short on the good things about wisdom, so real quickly. Proverbs has this to say about the good of wisdom:
• If you love it, Wisdom will save you, protect you, watch over you, and keep you safe (2:12, 4:6, 28:26)
• Wisdom is precious, more valuable that rubies, gold or silver (8:11, 16:16)
• If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you (9:12, 21:20)
• If you get wisdom, you love your own soul (19:8) Wisdom is sweet to your soul (24:14)
• Wisdom gives patience (19:11)
• Wisdom brightens a man’s face (Ecc 8:1)
• Wisdom is supreme (4:7)
With as bad as folly is, and as good as wisdom is, it’s pretty easy at this point to think, “I’m not going to give in to folly. I’m going to follow wisdom.” And don’t get me wrong. That’s a great choice. I’m behind you 100%. But if you look around in your acquaintances, people that you know, and especially in the media, you find people who have fallen into folly.
We can talk about the hardening process by which someone becomes a fool (http://fbcbenbrook.wordpress.com/2011/01/26/the-character-deformation-of-a-fool-meditation-on-proverbs-26/), but from where we are today, I’m more concerned about identifying the exit ramp on the highway of life that leads toward folly.
So how do you get tangled up in folly? Proverbs gives us some help.
A whip for the horse, a halter for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes. Like cutting off one's feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool. Like a lame man's legs that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool. Like a thornbush in a drunkard's hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or any passer-by. As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. Proverbs 26:3-12
Pride is one of the main entrance ramps into folly. If we think we are wise, if we think we know it all, if we think we are above God’s righteousness and we can do whatever we want, folly is not far off.
We already talked about how hanging around fools is bad news. If you hang around fools, you’re bound to get tripped up in folly sooner or later whether it is unintentional or just out of curiosity or what I think is the single most likely way you will end up in folly.
Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe. Proverbs 29:25
We talked about it last week, that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom from chapter 1 in Proverbs. It showed up again today in chapter 9, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. But what is the fear of man? A snare.
If you’re hanging around with the wrong crowd, and they lay into about being a chicken or any other guilt tactic, the fear of man can snag you in a heartbeat. What is the fear of man? I’ve got a great passage from a book by Ed Welch called When People Are Big and God Is Small. (pp. 9-11)
Now we can laugh about it when it’s in the form of a funny story, but this fear of man business is a big deal. King Saul had the kingdom of Israel stripped away from him for this very reason. God gave him a very specific task, but King Saul did not carry it out completely. God sent Samuel to King Saul to tell him that God had rejected Saul as King.
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I violated the LORD's command and your instructions. I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them. Now I beg you, forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD.”
But Samuel said to him, “I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel!” I Samuel 15:24-25
Also, the people in Jesus’ day, rejected him because of the fear of man.
Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God. John 12:42-43
I often thought that this passage was talking about the leaders only, but the leaders are a subset of the many. So leaders or not, some did not confess their faith out of fear of the Pharisees. People don’t come to Christ because of the fear of man, and people don’t share their faith because of the fear of man. The fear of man is a big deal.
Likewise, the fear of man can result in us getting into folly, wickedness and sin. Our fear of the Lord must supersede, or be stronger, than our fear of man. How can you make sure that happens?
Be devoted to the Lord, reading His Word, spending time in prayer, trusting Him with your finances by giving back to Him, sharing your faith with others, serving and loving others. All these things will grow your relationship with the Lord and increase your fear of the Lord.
“I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mortal men, the sons of men, who are but grass, that you forget the LORD your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, that you live in constant terror every day because of the wrath of the oppressor, who is bent on destruction? For where is the wrath of the oppressor? The cowering prisoners will soon be set free; they will not die in their dungeon, nor will they lack bread. For I am the LORD your God, who churns up the sea so that its waves roar--the LORD Almighty is his name. I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand--I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people.’” Isaiah 51:12-16
As we deepen our relationship with Almighty God, the fear of men will slip away, paled by the glory of the Son. S-O-N, not s-u-n.
Last week, we talked about Solomon being the wisest man who ever lived, right? Do you remember what Jesus said about himself?
“… now one greater than Solomon is here.” Matthew 12:42
The people who heard Jesus teach asked …
“Where did this man get this wisdom?” Matthew 13:54
“What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles!” Mark 6:2
If you are seeking wisdom, seek Christ because …
“Christ Jesus … has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” I Corinthians 1:30
There is one last point I want to make. Do you remember way back at the beginning, when I was joking around about the fight between wisdom and folly? At the end, only one will be left standing. Throughout the Bible, there are many prayers and greetings and blessing that offer praise to God. For example, I Timothy 1:17 says,
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. I Timothy 1:17
So there are attributes ascribed to or given to God. Here, it is honor and glory. Throughout the Bible we see many different ones: honor, glory, might, thanks, power, greatness, majesty, splendor, salvation, and the kingdom. Wisdom however does not appear on any of these lists, until you get to Revelation.
In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Revelation 5:12
“Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!” Revelation 7:12
So in the match up of Wisdom vs. Folly, I think we can say that wisdom wins, forever and ever. Let’s pray.
Father God, thank you that you have blessed us with the book of Proverbs. Thank you that you show us what wisdom is. Thank you that your Son is wisdom for us. Thank you that your Holy Spirit is inside of us transforming us to be more like Christ whose wisdom is greater than Solomon’s. Enable us to go deeper with you that our relationship with you would guard us from the fear of man. You are worthy of our every sacrific.
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