Monday, October 13, 2025 ▫ Read Proverbs 18:1–12
Questions from the Scripture text: What does the man in Pr 18:1a do? What is he seeking?
Against what does a self-isolated man rage (Pr 18:1b)? What doesn’t a fool delight
in (Pr 18:2a)? What does he delight in instead (Pr 18:2b)? What does wickedness bring
(Pr 18:3a)? And what does dishonor bring (Pr 18:3b)? What may a man’s words be (Pr 18:4a)? And
what are they, when he is wise (Pr 18:4b)? What two things does Pr 18:5 tell us are not
good? What do a fool’s lips do (Pr 18:6a, 7b)? What does his mouth do (Pr 18:6b, 7a)?
What do the words of the talebearer seem like (Pr 18:8a)? What do they do (Pr 18:8b)?
What man does Pr 18:9a consider? To whom does Pr 18:9b liken him? What is a strong tower
in Pr 18:10a? Who do what with it (Pr 18:10b)? What does the rich man trust in, instead
(Pr 18:11)? What leads to destruction (Pr 18:12a)? What does humility lead to (Pr 18:12b)?
What does self-isolation
do? Proverbs 18:1–12 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these twelve
verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that self-isolation
hurts you, and hurts others.
This chapter moves from the isolating speech of the fool (Pr 18:1–12) to the relationship-building speech of the wise (Pr 18:13–24). Our passage observes the fool’s isolation (Pr 18:1–3), crooked speech (Pr 18:4–5), and destructiveness (Pr 18:6–12). God designed us to benefit from one another (cf. Ecc 4:9–12), but the fool wants his own desires and ideas to be the only ones that he considers. His self-isolation (Pr 18:1a) is an insane resistance to wise judgment (Pr 18:1b). He doesn’t care what anyone else says (Pr 18:2a), because his delight is to display himself (Pr 18:2b). And, while he begins by isolating himself, the consequences of his behavior compound this, as he moves from contempt, to dishonor, to reproach (Pr 18:3). The last of these implies not only the reproach of men but the judgment of God. How short-sighted and self-destructive is the fool’s insistence upon being left to himself!
Even though the fool is trying to be left to his own judgment, his folly
affects others through his speech. The fool’s speech is murky, concealing true
meaning, rather than communicating clearly (Pr 18:4a). This is exactly opposite wise
speech, which is clear, refreshing, and useful (Pr 18:4b). One way that wicked
speech obstructs/obscures the truth is when making judgments; it often does
exactly opposite as it should (Pr 18:5).
Pr 18:6–7 describe the harm that the fool’s speech does to himself. It is made
more vivid by focusing not just on the words but the body parts involved. He
creates conflict for himself (Pr 18:6a), brings blows upon himself (Pr 18:6b), destroys
himself (Pr 18:7a), and traps his soul (i.e. in hell, Pr 18:7b). Look what happens to
yourself, when you insist upon being left to yourself!
But the fool’s speech also harms others. Others ought to disregard
anything that comes out of a fool’s mouth, but men’s weakness and fleshliness
means that they just eat up the fool’s gossip (Pr 18:8). So, he destabilizes the
community (Pr 18:8), just as he also plunders it by his laziness (Pr 18:9). Foolishly, he
trusts in what he has (Pr 18:11), expressing that self-dependent haughtiness that
leads to his own destruction (Pr 18:12a). What a contrast the fool is to the
righteous. Their trust in YHWH (Pr 18:10a) keeps them safe (even, ultimately, from
the destruction of the fool!, Pr 18:10b). O, dear reader, God spare you from
insisting upon your own way!
From whom do you seek and receive counsel? What
evidence is there that you delight in understanding? How do you work on
communicating clearly? What is your habit for avoiding and disregarding gossip?
What are you trusting to keep you safe?
Sample prayer: Lord, thank You for
giving us others to be a help to us. Don’t let us be so foolish as to isolate
ourselves. Make us wise of heart and speech, so that we will be a blessing to
ourselves and to others, we ask through Christ, AMEN!
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