“Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.”
(Proverbs 13:20, NLT)
Who are the wise? Who are the fools?
Consider the lilies of the field… Matt 6:28
Consider the lilies of the field… Matt 6:28
“Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.”
(Proverbs 13:20, NLT)
Who are the wise? Who are the fools?
thedailylily.com 
There are a lot of references in the Bible that distinguish between the wise person and the foolish person. A few differences I found:
Wise are prepared. Fools are not. (Matt 25: 2 & 10)
Wise hear. (Prov 9:9) Fools won’t hear. (Jer 5:21)
The wise inherit glory. Fools inherit shame. (Prov 3:35)
The wise speak words that feed others. (Prov 10:21) Fools just make noise. (Prov 9:13).
The wise have good conduct. (James 3:13) Fools do no good. (Psalms 14:1)
Also, there’s great definitions on wise and foolish on Sara’s comment from Sept 29 under ‘Work Brings Profit”.
Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 5:22 “anyone who calls a brother or sister a fool is in danger of hell fire”…so being a fool must be pretty bad as the penalty for calling someone that is HELL FIRE. That must mean that those who play the fool, act foolishly as a way of life or reject the wisdom of the Word of God to guide their course or actions or decisions won’t be in the Kingdom of God when He comes for us.
If you trust your own heart you are a fool (Proverbs 28:26). This is rejecting God’s wisdom. Only the Lord gives wisdom and you have to seek and search for it and then apply apply it. (Proverbs 2:2-6). It’s not always so easy and it doesn’t pamper the self or flesh. Maybe that’s why there are so many fools.
In Debi’s comment above she quoted Proverbs 3:35. “The wise inherit glory. Fools inherit shame.” While reading Daniel by Beth Moore this week, she quotes the scripture – 2 Timothy 3: 1-5 NIV – You know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!
It is interesting that James 3:13-18 tells us there are two kinds of wisdom and both are not good.
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”
The earthly, unspiritual wisdom fits those that Rena refers to above.
The heavenly wisdom is exhibited by those who will inherit that glory.
Proverbs 3:13 says, Happy and blessed, fortunate and enviable is the man who finds skillful and godly Wisdom and the one who gets understanding”….How? “…drawing it forth from God’s Word and life’s experiences.” And Proverbs 4 says, “the beginning of wisdom is: get wisdom…skillful and godly Wisdom…it’s the principle thing” (Amp)
The principle characteristics of Wisdom is “understanding, discernment, comprehension and interpretation.” And the application of these characteristics, these virtures is what brings success and right living, right choices and godliness to one’s life.
Jesus Christ has been made Wisdom to us. And if we are born again and trusting Jesus Christ as our personal confidante then we have the mind of Christ. But the caveat here is….NOT IF WE DON’T USE IT. “He will keep us in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on the Lord” Only if our Mind is always focused on what Holy Spirit is counseling us to do . But if we are presented with wisdom in a certain situation and we CHOOSE not to use it then the outcome, (except for the grace and mercy of God and His patience with us), turns out to be folly. And folly comes from the word FOOLISH…one dictionary says ‘tragically foolish”, WICKED (!!),
unprofitable…(Webster Collegiate).
A case in point comes up that I always remember as a warning…. that a few years ago a Christian friend and I were sent on a mission to do something and the godly counsel was given on it. When I reiterated to my older friend that this is the course of action given for this, she replied…”Yeah, I know. But I’m not going to do it that way.” The result was of negligible consequence. Where there could have been success there was nothing to come from it.
MG, your comments are most interesting. (Since Needles’ computer is still down I will give some of the footnotes from her Bible. Footnotes from NLT : Proverbs 13:20, says, “When most people need advice, they go to their friends…..that usually agree with them. ….We should seek out older and wiser people to advise us. Wise people have experienced a lot in life-and have succeeded. They are not afraid to tell the truth. Who are the wise, godly people who can warn you of the pitfalls head?”
MG, looks like your friend didn’t like the wisdom because it was not the way she wanted it to be. Therein lies Proverbs 13:20. Footnotes also say, “the old saying ‘a rotten apple spoils the barrel’ is often applied to friendship and with good reason. Our friends and associates affect us, sometimes profoundly. Be careful whom you choose as your closest friends. Spend time with people you want to be like because you and your friends will surely grow to resemble each other.”
“If you’re going to find those seeds of greatness, you need to be the best that you can right where you are. You have to be willing to take risks and to take steps of faith.” Joel Osteen
I like this quote as I think it fulfills seeking wisdom and trying to follow it. Seems like to many people I know spend more time trying to find a thrill or escape. A vacation, a Christmas break, etc. etc. Today’s work becomes tomorrow sorrow because it never got done. The mind was clogged with future which has never even been promised to anyone. Take care of today and tomorrow will surely take care of itself. Matthew 6:34 says, ” Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Sara your words ,”Today’s work becomes tomorrow sorrow because it never got done” is a sobering thought and a makes for a profound quote.
Joy, not sorrow must surely be found in work completed timely and orderly.
My mother used to often say to me when an attractive distraction hindered a chore, work assignment or project,“Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.”
I wondered where she got this saying from, looked it up online and saw it as a quote by Thomas Jefferson, a man who accomplished much in his lifetime.
Thanks Debi. I often have regretted not doing the work @hand because something good, ie an invite or other… would happen and then I would have to decline because of my procrastination. But rather I decline another fun, duty or other than forget the one @hand. Gee, forgetting or not doing timely orderly and then doing something else seems to be laziness to me. Bar emergencies.
Proverbs 24:30 NLT “I walked by the field of a lazy person,the vineyard of one with no common sense.”