“A word fitly spoken is like APPLES OF GOLD in a setting of silver” Proverbs 25v11
As we continue our meditations on wisdom, we come to Saying number 10 foundin the Book of Proverbs chapter 23v9: “Do not speak to fools, for they will scorn your prudent words”. This seems a strange instruction. Surely wise people should impart their wisdom to those who are not so wise? Of course, if they are teachable, it’s a privilege and responsibility. So, what does this saying mean? The Biblical definition of a fool is not someone who is uneducated or has a low IQ, but someone who has no interest in spiritual and eternal matters as summed up in Psalm 14v1 and repeated in Psalm 53v1: “The foolsays in his heart, ‘There is no God”. In Proverbs 14v9 we read that: “Fools mock at making amends for sin” and that is a very sad fact. Fools will not humble themselves to accept the free gift of salvation which Christ offers everybody because He died for our sins. In reality because they are scornful about spiritual matters, they ridicule the offer and debating with them is a pointless exercise and we just get frustrated and irritated as a result.
Paul warned Timothy against exactly that in 2 Timothy 2v23: “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels”. Friends, don’t waste your time in fruitless arguments with fools, but rather impart your wisdom to those who are humble, teachable and genuinely seeking to learnmoreabout Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 7v6: “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces”. Jesus also told a parable about a fool who didn’t give thought to eternal matters in Luke 12v19: “And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’” ‘But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?”
Amen
Graeme Greenwood