God Speaks
Honor is no more associated with fools
than snow with summer or rain with harvest.
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.
3 Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle,
and a fool with a rod to his back!
4 Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools,
or you will become as foolish as they are.
5 Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools,
or they will become wise in their own estimation.
6 Trusting a fool to convey a message
is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison!
7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is as useless as a paralyzed leg.
8 Honoring a fool
is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot.
9 A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk.
10 An employer who hires a fool or a bystander
is like an archer who shoots at random.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit,
so a fool repeats his foolishness.
12 There is more hope for fools
than for people who think they are wise.
13 The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road!
Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!”
14 As a door swings back and forth on its hinges,
so the lazy person turns over in bed.
15 Lazy people take food in their hand
but don’t even lift it to their mouth.
16 Lazy people consider themselves smarter
than seven wise counselors.
17 Interfering in someone else’s argument
is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.
18 Just as damaging
as a madman shooting a deadly weapon
19 is someone who lies to a friend
and then says, “I was only joking.”
20 Fire goes out without wood,
and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.
21 A quarrelsome person starts fights
as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood.
22 Rumors are dainty morsels
that sink deep into one’s heart.
23 Smooth words may hide a wicked heart,
just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot.
24 People may cover their hatred with pleasant words,
but they’re deceiving you.
25 They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them.
Their hearts are full of many evils.
26 While their hatred may be concealed by trickery,
their wrongdoing will be exposed in public.
27 If you set a trap for others,
you will get caught in it yourself.
If you roll a boulder down on others,
it will crush you instead.
28 A lying tongue hates its victims,
and flattering words cause ruin.
Source: New Living Translation: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: [This chapter contains only one positive sentence to be presented in italic. It is predominantly warnings or negative observations of the foolishness of human beings.]
1. Honor is no more associated with fools than snow with summer or rain with harvest.
2. Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.
3. Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle, and a fool with a rod to his back!
4. Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are.
5. Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation.
6. Trusting a fool to deliver a message is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison!
7. A proverb in the mouth of a fool is as useless as a paralyzed leg.
8. Honoring a fool is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot.
9. A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk.
10. An employer who hires a fool or a bystander is like an archer who shoots at random.
11. As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.
12. There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise.
13. The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road! Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!”
14. As a door swings back and forth on its hinges, so the lazy person turns over in bed.
15. Lazy people take food in their hand but don’t even lift it to their mouth.
16. Lazy people consider themselves wiser than seven wise counselors.
17. Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.
18. Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon
19. is someone who lies to a friend and then says, “I was only joking.”
20. Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.
21. A quarrelsome person starts fights as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood.
22. Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart.
23. Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot.
24. People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you.
25. They pretend to be kind but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils.
26. While their hatred may be concealed by trickery, their wrongdoing will be exposed in public.
27. If you set a trap for others, you will get caught in it yourself. If you roll a boulder down on others, it will crush you instead.
28. A lying tongue hates its victims, and flattering words cause ruin.
Consider the following questions regarding Proverbs 26:
1. What does this chapter tell me about God?
2. What does this chapter tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
1. God detests laziness, gossip, lying or deceptive speech, and wickedness; He will punish the perpetrators now or in eternity.
2. People can avoid foolishness and its consequences by turning to the LORD God for forgiveness and fresh wisdom.
Prayer:
3. How might I pray regarding Proverbs 26?
Thank You, Father God, for being the source of the wisdom we need to overcome the great foolishness of the world. It is only by turning or returning to You that we can be saved. We need the strength of love that brought Jesus to earth to die in our place. We need You to set people free as You set the Israelites free from slavery in Egypt. We need the same power that raised Jesus from the dead to bring life in all its fullness to the eight billion people alive on earth now. You are the only One who can turn hearts from foolishness to true godly wisdom. Every day there is more evidence that the nations are being led by fools and evil people who are being led and deceived by Satan. The only things that can save us from foolishness and its consequences are Jesus’ death and resurrection and living under the principles of the Scriptures (like these proverbs) and in the power of the Holy Spirit. LORD God, please save us from the foolishness of ourselves and our leaders. Even so come, Lord Jesus. Turn us around for Your glory and our good, LORD. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Proverbs 26? With the help of God’s Holy Spirit:
- I will look for evidence of godliness before I honor someone so that I don’t honor a fool.
- I will keep the trust of my friends by keeping their secrets and not talking about them behind their back.
- I will stay away from people who start quarrels.
- I will ask God to put a guard on my mouth so that I don’t say things that I shouldn’t.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.