Thoughts From Proverbs 26

Proverbs 26:1

Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
    so honor is not fitting for a fool.

Snow in the summer is unusual.  Rain in harvest is undesirable.  So an office or honor for a fool is unusual and not the normal action of society.  So we can hope, but this undesirable state exists for us.  Certainly honor for a fool is undesirable.  Give a fool honor and all who come into his sphere of influence suffers.

26:8

⁸ Like one who binds the stone in the sling
    is one who gives honor to a fool.

This is one of the most picturesque statements in the whole of Proverbs.  Can you imagine someone making their sling into a club and bouncing the stone off their own head. This is the picture the writer draws. Well you would say “that is stupid”. This is what the writer intends.  Give honor to a fool and you’ve bounced the stone off your own head.

26:11

¹¹ Like a dog that returns to his vomit
    is a fool who repeats his folly.

You should expect a dog to do this.  It is his nature.  So you must expect a fool to be repetitious, stupid or foolish.  It is his nature.

26:28

A lying tongue hates its victims,
    and a flattering mouth works ruin.

If ever you should pay attention it is here.  Note the following.

1.       A destructive lie is intentional.

2.      A destructive lie has a target.

3.      A destructive lie is criminal.

4.      A destructive lie is always evil.

Do not cover for it.  Bring it to light and make the liar responsible.