Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
    and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.
Fools find no pleasure in understanding
    but delight in airing their own opinions.
When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
    and with shame comes reproach.
The words of the mouth are deep waters,
    but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
It is not good to be partial to the wicked
    and so deprive the innocent of justice.
The lips of fools bring them strife,
    and their mouths invite a beating.
The mouths of fools are their undoing,
    and their lips are a snare to their very lives.
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
    they go down to the inmost parts.

• Proverbs 18:1-8

Proverbs 18:1 ”This man seeks selfish gratification and accepts advice from no one.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

Proverbs 18:1 is well summarized by Rev. MacArthur.  I have known many of this type of person.  They often got into arguments because they felt their wisdom needed to be shared.  And the next verse is like it in that fools also like to voice their opinion.  Remember that the biblical definition of a fool is someone who does not believe in God.  And now you get to the secular world as we know it.  Self-centered, opinionated, and no room for God.

The next verse follows this theme.  We already have the self-centered starting arguments and the fools voicing their opinions.  Now the wicked are showing contempt.  Then Proverbs 18:4 talks of the mouth being deep waters, and it suggests wisdom over what verses 1-3 discuss.

Have you ever said, “Boys are just being boys” or the same thing for girls?  I have often heard that said when some innocent person was harmed.  Where is justice for the one who is harmed?  Will the harm continue due to the perpetrator never being told that they had done wrong?  This idea of “do not judge unless you wish to be judged” has gone too far, especially when you are the parent.  I know a boy who often is yelled at for misbehavior, but he has learned that if he widens his eyes and narrows them a few times, the adult will quit yelling and give him a hug because he is so cute.  I do not find that to be cute.  He is training adults to allow him to be rotten.

Proverbs 18:6-7 go back to the fool and what they say.  Those words provide strife, invite beatings, are their undoing and provide a snare.  It would be to their advantage to keep their mouth shut, but more so to listen instead of talking.

And this set of proverbs ends with gossip.  In going to the inmost part they maximize the hurt in the half truths and lies that they spread.

And now let us sing.

The following song is God’s Own Fool.  This is sung by Michael Card.  With Scriptures that speak of those who questioned whether Jesus was sane or demon possessed to Scriptures that speak of God’s Word being foolishness to those who do not believe, Michael Card invites us to share in God’s Glory by becoming a “fool” as well.

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord,
We need Your wisdom.  Help us to keep our mouths shut so that we can learn.  Help us to open our mouths and spread the Gospel, sharing love with those around us.  May nothing we say be gossip, but truth.  And may we do all this for Your glory, deflecting any praise for ourselves.
In thy Name we pray.
Amen

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.