Proverbs 26:1-12 Fools rush in...

This chapter of Proverbs is a collection of harsh denouncements of fools, sluggards, meddlers, and liars. Verses 1-12 warn us to not waste our time with fools. Solomon says to honor a fool is as senseless as “snow in summer” (verse 1). Verse 3 equates the fool to a horse or donkey. To trust a fool to deliver a message for you is like cutting off your own feet (verse 6). Hire one and you may as well shoot yourself in the foot (verse 10). Two verses, in particular, jumped out at me. The first is verse 11:

Like a dog that returns to his vomit

    is a fool who repeats his folly.

Only fools continue to make the same mistakes over and over without learning the lesson! Hmmm... how many times do we repeat the same behaviors that get us into trouble? Wouldn’t it be great if we could learn the lesson the first time and then move on???  

Here’s my confession of a sin that I keep repeating:  I am the world’s worst back-seat driver!  My poor husband has put up with this for 42 years!  Well, maybe not the entire 42 years, because when we were first married I thought he could do no wrong, so I completely trusted him to get us where we needed to go!  :)  Seriously, though, this is a wretched sin, because it shows not only a lack of faith in my wonderful husband, but also a lack of faith in the One who gave him to me!

Now this may not seem like a big deal to you, but you should hear my deep sighing and constant nudging with, “You need to get over.”  I’m now praying as I get in the car, that I will just relax and know that Don will actually get us to where we are going in God’s time - not necessarily mine!  Don is a saint to put up with me!

The final verse about fools resonates with me as a teacher:

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? 
   There is more hope for a fool than for him. (v.12)

The older I get, the more I know that I DON’T know! How foolish to think that we already know it all! Remaining teachable is a must for a disciple. I continue to have so many “Aha!” moments in God’s Word - even passages I’ve read over and over! And what I gain from the fellowship of other believers who pass on their wisdom is invaluable! It’s one of the reason I so love women’s Bible studies. For the past year I’ve been leading small groups of much younger women at my church’s nighttime women’s Bible study. This “old broad” has gained so much insight from these precious younger gals! What a blessing to see younger women so excited to get to know God more and to grow in their faith! No fools around that table! :)

LORD, we so desire to know you better and to be people of wisdom! Help us to see our foolish ways and to turn from them! Keep us from returning to make the same mistakes over and over. And help us to share you with other "fools" who need to know the Truth!