Two major themes in this chapter can be summed like this: Don’t be a fool or a sluggard.
· The fool is one who won’t take instruction and who doesn’t learn from the wise or from the past.
· Sluggards are lazy people.
As if by a semi-automatic rifle, the fool receives multiple shots in the opening verses, capped with this word: Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him (12). The sluggard takes the next four shots… with this being the final hit: The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly (16).
I find it interesting that both the sluggard and fool are ‘wise in their own eyes.’ This personality trait suggests that they can’t/won’t be taught and therefore can’t/don’t learn from others.
The Spirit’s counsel, “Don’t be that person.”
Chew on this a while…
Lord, strip arrogance from me, especially the arrogance that says, ‘I know what I’m doing, I’ve got life figured out, I know all I need…’ Lord, the best way I know to avoid this, is to come to You and to seek Your instruction and Your wisdom. Teach me, O God, through Your Word, through other God’s person and through the wisdom accumulated by Your church. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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