Proverbial Wisdom: Proverbial Similes

 Read Proverbs 26

I love the poetry that is used in this proverb.  It’s a brilliant use of simile to drive home the proverbial point.  

Verse 1:  Fools do not deserve honor, reward, and commendation, but they store up for themselves the judgment of God and the disrespect and wrath of men.  The irony is that while many in the world hate believers on account of their testimony, they do not respect a lifestyle of sin.  They know it is the easier route to take in life, and doing what is noble is more respectable even if it is not acknowledged as such.

Verse 2:  It doesn’t make sense to wish somebody ill or seek to do them harm when they are righteous and undeserving of cursing.  Righteousness will always lead to blessing from God with the fullness of that blessing coming in heaven.  Those who reject Christ remain cursed and destined for hell.

Verses 3-5:  Those who continue to act as fools will continue to find themselves getting into trouble and being gluttons for punishment.  They need discipline to be trained in righteousness, but unfortunately fools reject instruction and continue to do themselves and others harm.  It is not worth playing along with the foolishness of a fool, but a fool needs to be called out for his error with grace and love.  Truth requires that believers do not laugh at evil and assent to treachery.  Believers should not get drawn into foolish debates where truth is not actually sought, and they need to not learn the behavior and banter of fools.  The only hope a fool has of seeing his own foolishness and then turning from it is to be confronted with the truth.

Verse 7:  Fools might be able to quote a wise saying, but it is of no value to them because they don’t receive it, believe it, or put it into practice.  Their hearts are wicked and hardened against the truth and sound wisdom.  The only way for a fool to become wise is to stop being wise in his own eyes and to listen to instruction.  It is not enough just to know the truth, but one must keep it.  It is not enough to profess to love Christ, one must possess Him in their hearts.  

Verse 10:  Those who enable and empower a fool and put their trust in him will regret it, for it will cause rampant harm, wounds, and pain for others.  A fool cannot be trusted or given increasing responsibility.  It will be dry powder for him to use for evil.  It is wise to use discernment and discretion in terms of whom one trusts or hires.

Verse 11:  Dogs can be disgusting and even confuse their own vomit with food and like it.  This is meant to be deeply repulsive and disgusting, for what fools do by continuing to reject God, to despise Christ, and to fail to heed His Word is repulsive and abominable to God.  God doesn’t just roll His eyes at evil, but He stores up wrath to repay.  A fool is one who enjoys junk food and refuses of the devil and who is satisfied with idiocy and never even caring to find out the truth, purpose, or meaning.  He will keep doing stupid, rebellious things until it costs him his life and his soul.  A fool doesn’t learn from consequences, but he keeps repeating the same mistakes over and over again.

Verse 12:  Pride is the archenemy of humility which is required for those who come to the truth.  Pride rejects the need for a Savior, and pride puts full confidence in the flesh.  Pride enjoys flaunting its own strength and independence, but Christ is the only all-sufficient One.  Thus, those who harbor pride are the ultimate in being unteachable.  A fool doesn’t have much hope of turning from his error, but there is always hope that one day he will recognize that the life Jesus offers makes Satan’s offers look like pig slop.  A prideful person recognizes just that, but he still rejects God because he wants it to not be true so badly.  He is willing to defy God to the end just so that he can remain on the throne of his own life. 

Verses 13-16:  The lazy person may use fear and danger as an excuse for not trying and not working.  He typically lies around in bed or on the couch and does nothing productive or of value to others.  Even bringing his food from the plate to his mouth is laborious and wearying to the sluggard.  He prefers that others would do all the work for him, and he justifies his behavior in his own mind.  He thinks that he is full of wisdom, but he lives a life that manifests the reality of his own foolishness.

Verse 17:  It is noble to come to the rescue of somebody in danger, but it is also wise to be sure of what one is getting himself into before making assumptions that could endanger himself.  Sometimes fights and strife are between mutually evil parties, and intervening in such instances is like provoking an attack dog. 

Verses 18-19:  Some people lie and deceive their neighbor, caring not for the consequences and the harm and hurt that could befall him.  Then, once the damage has been done, they try to argue that it was all just a joke.  This demonstrates a lack of concern for others and a cavalier attitude towards friendship. 

Verses 20-22:  Some people like to feast upon gossip and the latest secrets of other people’s lives.  Maybe it makes them feel better about themselves to learn the dirt about others, or maybe they enjoy feeling like they have fodder for manipulation.  Either way, those given to gossip are better off doing something productive and God-honoring rather than that which can only lead to malice, pride, contention, and strife.  Gossip may seem like a minor sin, but sin is always destructive and leading to death.  Contentious people like getting a reaction out of others and getting under their skin, but believers should be peacemakers, building others up and encouraging them rather than tearing them down and provoking them to anger. 

Verses 23-27:  The Bible is clear about wolves that come in sheep’s clothing, trying to deceive others and do them harm.  They look like solid silver, but on the inside they are nothing but dirt.  They speak grand words that sound like wisdom but are actually foolish, and they lead to division and destruction.  They have dark, wicked hearts, even though they may masquerade as light.  Deceit runs rampant in the wicked person’s heart, though on the outside they may feign love, loyalty, and affection.  They are master liars and skilled in using words to manipulate and exploit.  Gracious speech is fake from a wicked person, for the desires of his heart are full of many kinds of wickedness (Proverbs 6:16-19).  Eventually a wicked person’s deeds make his intentions manifest to those who desire to know the truth and be set free by it, for believers can know deceivers by their fruits (Matthew 7:20).  Those who have spent their efforts tripping up others and laying traps for them will often fall prey to their own evil devices and schemes.  They will certainly be paid back for their evil when God judges them in eternity.

Verse 28:  Those who speak ill of others and who spread lies about them do so because of hate.  Love rejoices with the truth, but those who speak flattery do so not to edify or encourage but to destroy and ruin.  Flattery might be described as “nice” lies, but they are still deceptive and thus destructive.  Lying is not consistent with loving but with hatred.