July 26th – Proverbs 26: Worse Than a Fool?

“Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” – Proverbs 26:12

I have spent a considerable amount of time here detailing the plight of the “fool”. To date I have some 130 posts on Proverbs, most of them in some way having to do with being a fool, not being a fool, etc. The total destruction that comes to a fool’s health, wealth and relationships because of their foolish behavior is truly staggering. In truth, the fool has a tough road to hoe and it’s in our best interest to avoid foolish behavior.

Yet this proverb tells us that there is something worse than being a fool. This proverb tells us that there is more hope for a fool than for a man that is wise in his own eyes! In the King James, the Bible uses the word “conceit” to describe the man that is wise in his own eyes. It means;

Conceit - favorable opinion; especially : excessive appreciation of one's own worth or virtue.

So what the Bible is telling us is that there is MORE hope for a foolish person than for one who has a bloated sense of their own self-importance. There is a greater chance for repentance, grace and mercy on someone that acts foolishly than someone who has an “excessive appreciation of one’s own worth or virtue”.

That’s scary!

I have met people like this. They are the kind that always believes they are right, even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. These are people that are above instruction, correction or rebuke in their own minds. They see themselves as the teachers and benefactors of this earth; almost as if the world is graced with their presence. I have had people like this tell me that they have nothing to learn from their pastors/leaders at a church service on Sunday morning, all while their lives are an utter mess!

This mentality does seem to be on the rise in the church today in our culture of cheap grace and lax morality. With the expansion of social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, everyone is a sage! You have total bums, living in their Mom’s basement and incapable of providing for themselves dispensing their YouTube “wisdom” full time. If they understood their ACTUAL importance or self-worth (Nill), they would shut up and get their life together.

Now more than ever, it’s important that we KNOW people, NOT according to what they say, but according to their fruit (or lack thereof).

“Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” – Matthew 7:20

LIFE LESSON:

Better a fool that knows he’s a fool than a conceited idiot that thinks he’s the “dogs bollocks”.