Proverbs 10: Wise vs. Foolish

  

 The wise vs. the foolish (10:8–9, 13–14, 19–21, 23, 26): The wise are careful with their words and actions; the foolish care only about what they want.

⁸ The wise of heart will receive commandments,
    but a babbling fool will come to ruin.

I love that we have to position ourselves to receive commandments, through Wisdom.  This is an active choice, something to be pursued, and grasped.  Wisdom of the heart requires action and diligence!

⁹ Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
    but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.

This little proverb brings to mind a story from this past week – my oldest son is a goofball. There was a film festival at his school and he made a film to submit for judging.  While others spent days, weeks, hour after hour making their films---my son channeled his “inner goofball”  and knocked out his film in a few hours. He came in second place and received a prize!!  After the festival was over, he found out that one of his friends had tipped the bidding and had voted for him numerous times. 

This was not ok with him. He got in touch with the teacher and let her know that he had won unfairly and that the prize belonged to someone else.

--->The teacher was dumbfounded at his honesty.

---->The next day he was invited to the luncheon for the winners, because they so appreciated his honesty and could not believe the level of integrity that he had shown.

A proud momma moment for sure. Our character and integrity are our calling cards.

¹³ On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found,
    but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.

¹⁴ The wise lay up knowledge,
    but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.

The wise lay up knowledge, and it is found on the lips of those that are in this Holy Obedience to the Ordinary.

The mouth of a fool isn’t laying up anything – it seems that it spills out – a much different picture than “laying up” – or storing up wisdom and releasing it at the proper time.  

¹⁹ When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
    but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.

²⁰ The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
    the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
²¹ The lips of the righteous feed many,
    but fools die for lack of sense.

I think we have all felt the nudging of the Holy Spirit telling us to be still and to be quiet. The discerning spirit of what to say and what not to say can be a tough place to acquiesce our will.  I have been on the receiving end of those whose words are many, as of late, and it is a hard place to stand through the onslaught of too many words – revealing too many things- and dishonoring too many hearts.  Discerning lips are wise indeed!

Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool,
    but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.
Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
    so is the sluggard to those who send him

Have you ever noticed that to one who is not seeking a Holy Obedience to the Ordinary – it is ok to have little white lies, and big black lies salting their language?  Doing wrong is a joke and not to be taken seriously- getting caught is what has to be taken seriously.  The heart of the wise seems to be one of restraint and control- not rushing into everything head first and picking up the pieces afterwards.  The heart of the wise seems to watch and wait, to pray and to ponder- to speak out pearls of Wisdom at   the right time.