Forsake foolishness and live, and go in the way of understanding. Proverbs 9:6
Proverbs 9 begins with an invitation for us to enter Wisdom’s house: “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here” (9:4). The door to Wisdom’s house stands open to all those who would ask, seek and knock. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). God shows no favoritism to any man. He gives liberally to all. As our Father, He wants all of us to be wise. Proverbs 9:6 gives us two important requirements to obtain wisdom:
(1) Forsake foolishness. The fi rst step toward wisdom is to shun foolishness, and therefore to shun the fool. Forsake the foolish and avoid conversing with them. Do not conform to their ways and have no fellowship with the works of darkness, or with those that deal in such works. “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character’” (1 Cor. 15:33, NIV). Who is a fool? A fool says in his heart, “There is no God” (Ps. 14:1). A fool curses the name of God (74:18). A fool is destroyed by his own complacency (Prov. 1:32). A fool believes everything he is told (14:15). A fool is shown by being thoughtless, irrational and reckless (14:18). A fool can’t learn by listening; he can only learn by being punished (21:11). A fool doesn’t plan for the future; he goes on blindly and suffers the consequences (22:3). A fool will never fi nd honor (26:1). A fool loves silly arguments (26:4). A fool repeats his mistakes again and again, as he never learns (26:11). A fool deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking” (26:19). A fool despises wisdom and instruction (1:7). A fool is loud, brash and noisy (9:13). A fool is a grief to his parents (17:25). Ask yourself: Are you walking in the ways of the foolish as shown in the book of Proverbs? The Bible commands us to forsake foolishness and also to forsake those who are foolish.
(2) Go in the way of understanding. It is not enough to forsake foolishness and the fool; we must also join ourselves with those that walk in wisdom, and walk in the same steps that they are walking. “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed” (13:20). Therefore choose your companions carefully. If you want to live a good life, depart from fools and associate yourself with the wise.
Proverbs 9 begins with an invitation for us to enter Wisdom’s house: “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here” (9:4). The door to Wisdom’s house stands open to all those who would ask, seek and knock. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). God shows no favoritism to any man. He gives liberally to all. As our Father, He wants all of us to be wise. Proverbs 9:6 gives us two important requirements to obtain wisdom:
(1) Forsake foolishness. The fi rst step toward wisdom is to shun foolishness, and therefore to shun the fool. Forsake the foolish and avoid conversing with them. Do not conform to their ways and have no fellowship with the works of darkness, or with those that deal in such works. “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character’” (1 Cor. 15:33, NIV). Who is a fool? A fool says in his heart, “There is no God” (Ps. 14:1). A fool curses the name of God (74:18). A fool is destroyed by his own complacency (Prov. 1:32). A fool believes everything he is told (14:15). A fool is shown by being thoughtless, irrational and reckless (14:18). A fool can’t learn by listening; he can only learn by being punished (21:11). A fool doesn’t plan for the future; he goes on blindly and suffers the consequences (22:3). A fool will never fi nd honor (26:1). A fool loves silly arguments (26:4). A fool repeats his mistakes again and again, as he never learns (26:11). A fool deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking” (26:19). A fool despises wisdom and instruction (1:7). A fool is loud, brash and noisy (9:13). A fool is a grief to his parents (17:25). Ask yourself: Are you walking in the ways of the foolish as shown in the book of Proverbs? The Bible commands us to forsake foolishness and also to forsake those who are foolish.
(2) Go in the way of understanding. It is not enough to forsake foolishness and the fool; we must also join ourselves with those that walk in wisdom, and walk in the same steps that they are walking. “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed” (13:20). Therefore choose your companions carefully. If you want to live a good life, depart from fools and associate yourself with the wise.
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