GETTING THE MESSAGE/Proverbs 1:7
Proverbs 1:7 reads, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; fools despise wisdom and instruction." We have looked at the subject of the fear of the Lord. This week we will examine the theme of foolishness or the fool. There are over 100 references in Proverbs with respect to this subject. We will look at some traits of the fool that are emphasized.
One trait of the fool is he is wise in his own eyes. Proverbs 12:15 says, "The way of the fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice." In chapter 18 we are told the fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.
We can apply this to many different areas of life. We have all erred by thinking we knew what we were doing when we didn't. So it is good advice to listen and learn. But the spiritual application is most vital here.
In Matthew 11 we see Jesus denouncing those who would not listen to John the Baptist or the council of Jesus for frivolous reasons. He then pronounces woe on the cities in the area of Galilee for seeing and hearing extraordinary things and yet remaining unrepentant. The mark of the fool is to not be humbled by the coming and teaching of the Lord Jesus.
"I did it my way," might sound noble, but it is foolish if it means ignoring the instruction of the Lord. To not carefully consider what Christ says or what Scripture teaches is the essence of folly. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns that not applying his words ends in destruction. We are all fools by nature with respect to our souls; we only become wise when we listen to the Lord. O Lord, give us ears to hear.
Another trait of the fool is he does not know his need of atonement for his sins. Proverbs 14:9 warns, "Fools mock at the guilt offering." Here is a man who does not know his greatest problem, sin. More, he mocks at the remedy, the guilt offering. The Lord Jesus, the guilt offering for man, was mocked on the way to the cross and upon the cross.
We can either wear our own rags or be dressed in Christ's righteousness. Charles Spurgeon wrote: "We must accept the righteousness of God, or be unrighteous forever. Surely we shall be worse than madmen if we insist upon going naked rather than put on the royal apparel of free grace." It is a useless religion which doesn't have Christ Jesus as the principal object of faith.
A third trait of the fool is he squanders opportunity. Proverbs 17:16 asks, "Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom when he has no sense?" We have here a man with an opportunity to obtain wisdom, but he will not." Opportunity knocks is a popular saying. The harvest is ready, a business proposal, an education, and the list goes on.
Some people have more opportunity than others. In spiritual matters, the opportunity is in reading and hearing the Scriptures. It is learning of Christ. Many who heard Christ in person squandered the opportunity. They went home and went to bed. They got up the next day and went about their business. Christ is soon forgotten. No man ever spoke like Christ, and yet they walked easily away.
It is good to know the Lord is long suffering. If we have dealt unkindly or foolishly with the truth of Christ, and our consciences are ashamed with it, as they should be, the Lord will forget all wrongs. Christ not only forgives all but forgets all. He deals in free grace. He does not deal with us according to our iniquities when we turn to him, but in steadfast love.
When we read of the foolishness of the world, and in our own hearts, we need to bring our case before the Lord. No case has ever baffled him. When we put ourselves in his hands, he will set us right. It is a comfortable thing to the soul to be able to say that God in Christ is our God, our reconciled God; that God's nature and ours now are in good terms.