Daily Bread_December 5, 2014

Title: Who Are the People You Should Avoid?

Text:

Proverbs 26:4-5 (ESV)
⁴ Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. ⁵ Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

Observation:

In this chapter Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, has some advice on the type of people you should avoid; the first on the list is the fool.

He proceeds to give several reasons why you should avoid the fool; notice that the Amplified Version adds something to describe these people {self-confident} fool.

Here are some of the reasons to avoid the fool.

Proverbs 26:1 (ESV)
Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.

Proverbs 26:8 (ESV)
Like one who binds the stone in the sling is one who gives honor to a fool.

You can't change him by promotion; the verses above, or by correction or admonition as shown in the following verses.

Proverbs 26:3 (AMP)
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a [straight, slender] rod for the backs of [self-confident] fools.

Proverbs 26:4-5 (AMP)
⁴ Answer not a [self-confident] fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him. ⁵ Answer a [self-confident] fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes and conceit.

No matter how much you correct the fool, he goes right back to believing what he always believed, and doing what he has always done.

Proverbs 26:11 (ESV)
Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.

Peter writing about false prophets and false teachers admonished God's people the same way that Solomon advised about the fool; avoid them.

2 Peter 2:1-3 (ESV)
¹ But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. ² And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. ³ And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

2 Peter 2:22 (ESV)
What the true proverb says has happened to them: "The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire."

Finally, do the wise thing; listen to the admonition of Solomon by avoiding the fool, and keep your mouth shut in his presence.

Proverbs 23:9 (HCSB)
Don't speak to a fool, for he will despise the insight of your words.

Prayer:

Father God, I pray that You will give Your people the gift of discernment so that they may be able to avoid the self-confident fool, the false prophets, and the false teachers.

Father God, I pray that we will each know God, know the word, and stay in close communion with You through prayer. Then, we will know the type of people to avoid, and when to speak. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

--

Matthew 4:4 (HCSB)
⁴ But He answered, "It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Psalm 2:8 (HCSB)
⁸ Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance and the ends of the earth Your possession.

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