Morning Devotion - Prov. 26

Read Proverbs 26

Solomon in Ecclesiastes 1:17 writes, "I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly." This chapter in Proverbs includes a consideration of the fool, the sluggard, and the one who troubles others through various sins of the tongue.

The fool (1-12)
A fool is not worthy of honor, but he needs correction and strong discipline, yet even with these there is little hope for him. On one hand you have to be careful not to become like him when you answer him. On the other hand, he does need correction or he will become more foolish and cause even more trouble. What to do?? You might think that the answer is to teach him proverbs, but a rod is more likely to be helpful. Even worse than him is the one who is wise in his own eyes. It is of great importance this morning that we humble ourselves before God and recognize God's wisdom and submit to His correction.

The sluggard (13-16)
A lazy man is self-deceived. He convinces himself of dangers that are not there in order to satisfy his craving for ease. But he will not listen to reason, though seven wise men expose his poor thinking and lazy living.

The whispering troubler (17-28)
A quarrelsome man may try to hide his troubling tongue behind jokes and smooth flattering, but he loves to whisper trouble and see what will come of it. He is not direct in his speech, but lights fires and enjoys the blaze. He works ruin in many lives, ultimately digging his own pit and then falling into it.

Here we see an exploration of unworthiness in these three specifics. We should be able to see how we can fall into such devastating habits, and how we can be easily influenced by others and by habits of the heart that take root in our families and in our culture. A new way of life - a way of wisdom and of character - needs to be experienced and followed. Christ has lead in that new way, and those who follow him will give up on the life of the fool, the sluggard, and the troubler, committing ourselves to a life of greater Christian integrity and leading others to do the same.

May God grant us grace to grow in godliness, and to see madness and folly for what they are, a recipe for our own ruin and for the destruction of those who would follow us in sloppy living.