Tag: Proverbs 26

Fools and Folly

Old Testament: Jeremiah 46-48
Poetry: Proverbs 26
New Testament: Jude


In writing these devotions, I’ve been hoping to bring up my favorite villain of all time, Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, of Phineas and Ferb fame (which is the best animated series of all time and the only argument against that fact I will entertain is Veggie Tales). Most villains are cruel and cunning, and I just can’t relate to that. Dr. D doesn’t really aspire to be cruel, he just wants to control people in the Tri-State area. After being a mom and nurse, I understand wanting to control people to save them from bad choices..but I digress. The thing I like the most is that for a villain, Dr. D is completely harmless and hilarious. Sometimes his plans are foiled by his nemesis, the hero, Perry the Platypus, but most of the time Dr. D is his own worst enemy. His own folly is the means to his destruction, usually because he builds in a self-destruct button in
all of his inventions designed to take over the Tri-State area. Dr. D is definitely a character whom I would consider a fool, super funny, but a fool nonetheless.


In all of the readings today: OT, Proverbs, and NT, we are told of all sorts of foolish people. In Jeremiah 46-48, God is spelling out exactly what is going to happen to the people/cities who chose to disobey Him. Disturbing reading to say the least. I think the thing that is most disturbing is that these people are purposely foolish. They were warned by Jeremiah repeatedly to return to God, but they would not.


In Proverbs 26, we are given a list of the things foolish people do. Verse 27 has happened to Dr. D. in several episodes of Phineas and Ferb. Verse 11 is a favorite of kids who like to be gross, but points out something fools are famous for: repeating their stupid actions. My favorite quote from Dr. D is what he says after his plans are waylaid: “Well, live and learn.” I quote this all the time. But Dr. D never seems to learn, he makes the same mistakes time and again. He indeed is foolish.


In Jude, we read the letter written to those who have very eagerly decided to follow Jesus Christ, Jude’s brother. Jude writes this letter both to encourage these people but also to warn them about the most dangerous fools of all, those who call themselves Christians but purposely teach falsehood. Just as in 2 Timothy 4:3, fools were claiming to be teaching the word but were in truth teaching what people wanted to hear. Sadly, my brothers and sisters, this is not a problem of the past. I fear we are seeing an even greater number of so-called churches allowing people to teach a gospel of “your truth.” Just this evening as I was mulling the scriptures I had read, I came across a “Not the Bee” article that discussed a preacher or “pastrix” as she calls herself, telling her congregates that God lied to Eve and it’s a good thing Eve ate of the apple so
women would have the agency to make choices over their bodies. And you know where she is going with that line of thinking. This is exactly what Jude was talking about. This is not harmless foolishness. This is the foolishness that leads to death, both in this lifetime and the age to come.


As dangerous as these fools are, we are given the equipment to recognize false teachings and rebuff them. Take up the full armor of God (Ephesians 6: 10-18), Hide the word of God in your heart ( Psalms 119:11), and study, study, study (2 Timothy 2:15)!

-Maria Knowlton

Reflection Questions

  1. What foolish things have you done more than once? How’s that vomit tasting? GROSS!!!! But I couldn’t resist. Do you foresee yourself doing it yet again? How might you be able to train yourself to NOT do it again?
  2. What foolish false teaching are you aware of today? How can you tell it is false? Why do you think others are believing and following after it?
  3. Why do you think the people of Jeremiah’s day were so set on doing life their way when God was so clear about what the consequences would be? Are there any differences today?
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To Answer a Fool – or Not?

Disagree – Wisely

Proverbs 26 4 5 NIV

Proverbs 25 & 26
Proverbs is hard to write ONE devotion about. From chapter 10 forward, nearly the entire book is a collection of pithy quick sayings that were meant to produce wisdom in those who learned them. (Only chapter 31 is different, but that will be for another author to work through!) Today, for chapters 25 and 26, I want to focus on just one set of verses.
There are two authors to every word of the Bible. The first is the human author, a person who lived in a specific place and time, thought and wrote in a specific language and who was fallible and failing just like the rest of humanity. Also, Christians believe the Bible is inspired by God. This means that God directed the author so that the words, ideas, and stories are those by which God wanted people to live and that everything in the Bible is true. Short and simple, the Bible is not full of lies and misinformation, and it doesn’t contradict itself. (1)
That seems like a hard standard to hold when we read Proverbs 26:4 and 26:5.
26:4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Or you will also be like him.
5 Answer a fool as his folly deserves,
That he not be wise in his own eyes.
DO NOT X & DO X. That is a pretty clear contradiction, right?
Well, yes and no; let me explain. It is clearly contradiction if we believe that all the Proverbs must be followed all the time, like the laws of the Torah. But this is not how the Proverbs were intended to be used.
Proverbs were meant to make people wise, and therefore were to build wisdom AND BE USED WITH WISDOM. Every Proverb doesn’t always give what must be done in every situation always, but instead tells you a general way of living that should guide you in the moment to make a wise decision.
The question we are hard-wired to ask is : Is it right or wrong to answer a fool? But,  THAT’S A BAD QUESTION! Instead we should be asking : Is it wise or foolish to answer this fool right now? Sometimes you debate with a person in private who will never change his or her mind, and you have to throw up your hands and say, “Not worth it” or you could be dragged into the mud and muck of folly and error. Sometimes, you need to correct someone for the foolish thing he or she has said or done, or they go on being foolish forever. Either approach could be wise or foolish; it is the wisdom of God that will sort out which way we should go.
Thus, God’s word is kept from our bad interpretation and we recognize that there is no contradiction!
Jake Ballard
(1) Rarely, if ever, is something truly “short and simple.” There are lots of implications and theological, historical and scientific questions that come up, but sadly, we don’t have time for that at the moment.
Today’s Bible reading can be read or listened to at

Tomorrow’s reading will be Proverbs 27-29 as we continue the 2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan

Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires of the Mouth

Proverbs 26

Proverbs 26 20 NIV

The Smokey Bear Wildfire Prevention campaign started in 1944, and in 1947 the slogan that is familiar to many came to fruition; Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires (updated in 2001 to Wildfires). It is the longest public service campaign in the United States’ history. A campaign was derived to help the prevention of forest fires. Years of education gave the ownership to the general public to be more careful and to care for the world around you. The catchphrase reflects your responsibility.

 

Our family does not do “traditional” camping (unless a cabin with running water or hotel room is traditional camping to you). This doesn’t mean that we don’t love a good campfire.  This summer we spent some time in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan at our family cabin. The week was filled with cleaning out the overgrowth of trees and brush on the property, which meant a BIG campfire. Our burn pit is close to the lake, but is really in the middle of the woods (like most campfires). Being in the heart of the woods means being surrounded by a plethora of “fuel” if a fire is left to its own devices. So, before we left the cabin or went to bed, we had to make sure that the fire was out.

 

The wisdom from Proverbs 26:20 resonated with me. It says, “Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.” You see, a fire is only going to burn if it is fed. Our tongue is the fire and when you remove gossip or the “fuel,” it dies down. The best way to end (avoid) a quarrel? Keep your mouth shut!  Don’t get involved in what doesn’t concern you. Don’t take up offenses of others and don’t be easily offended. Don’t talk about what you don’t know and be very slow to talk about what you do know. Practice self-control in the moment and show Christ-like love at all times. Don’t be the fuel for the fire and the fight!

 

James 3:5-6 says “Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire and is itself set on fire by hell.” This just reinforces that our small tongue can do big damage.

 

Don’t fuel the flame of gossip and cause fights, only you can prevent wildfires of your mouth!

 

Erin Bormes