Proverbs 18:1-4 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 18:1-4, which read,

v.1 - He who separates himself seeks his own desire, he quarrels against all sound wisdom.

We plot on through this book called Proverbs with a new chapter this morning.  This proverb deals with our willingness to listen to others.  The fool is someone who closes his ears to wisdom.  One tactic is to separate himself from those who are wise.  He or she strategically places himself or herself out of range of those who would speak God's words and ways.  Out of sight means out of mind.  It is not uncommon for someone who has veered away from God's instruction to start attending church less or other spiritual gatherings for the purpose to not be confronted with the truth or to ease the guilt that comes upon the conscience when even in the presence of those who are seeking to follow after God.  

Another tactic is to become a great quarreler.  They have some great come backs to the wisdom of God.  They become professional diverters and posing questions like, "Well what about...?"  To listen would be the start of understanding so they cut off the conversation with their own voice and dominate the content.

v.2 - A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own mind.

A cross reference to this verse and proverb is in another book of the Bible that Solomon wrote which is called Ecclesiastes.  The reference is to Ecclesiastes 10:12-14 which reads, 

"Words from the mouth of the wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him; the beginning of his talking is folly and the end of it is wicked madness.  Yet the fool multiplies words.  No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him?"

The fool dominates the conversation.  The fool doesn't wait for the answer for he or she thinks they are the answer.  The fool will talk and talk and talk while digging a hole that puts him farther from God's wisdom than when he started.  Fools will go from the start of folly to end in wicked madness as the Ecclesiastes' passage states.  The fool will make boasts that are beyond his realm or anyone else's to know.  The only benefit of the fool talking so much is that it will reveal in time to those who are wise what his real agenda is.

v.3 - When a wicked man comes, contempt also comes, and with dishonor comes scorn.

There is a connection between our actions and words and the consequences that follow.  Our sinful actions bring about the punishment administered through God's justice.  Our wickedness is followed by contempt and our dishonor is followed by scorn.  Our ungodly actions are followed by a despise toward them and our disgrace of what should be given grace and honor is followed by a scorning or a reproach to that action.  We learned in school Newton's Third Law that is, "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."  This is also true in a sense in the spiritual realm.  God's attribute of justice demands just that, "justice" and so evil is dealt with.

v.4 - The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

We end today with a great word picture proverb on the positive side.  Deep waters are what you look for when you are digging a well.  You don't want a shallow well that could go dry but rather a deep one that you can go back to again and again and again.  You also look for running water like a bubbling brook.  The stagnant pond turns green and slimy but the brook with its constantly running water is cool and clean to see even the rocks and sand underneath it.  Good water is very good and essential to life.

The proverb equates the words of the wise with that good clean water and with a supply that is from a large aquifer below or deep within.  Our words come from deep within us as we pass them first by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Our words are only deep because we are echoing His words of wisdom.  Our words are also clean and refreshing because He has instructed us to speak this way to others.  Our desire is to use even our words to bless others with refreshment from God.  This is the stark opposite of what the fool is using their words for and where they are coming from.  The fool draws from a shallow well and takes from a stagnant pond.

There are some actions here to look at in our own lives.  Are we physically separating from others who are following after God?  Are we quarreling instead of listening?  Are we speaking when we should be listening?  Are we experiencing some of the justice from our unjust actions?  Where are our words coming from?  Let us take a good look at these markers that Solomon has given us today to evaluate where we are spiritually.  Let us pray.

"Lord, it is so easy to be the fool.  It is so easy to separate or stand and quarrel.  It is so easy to dominate the conversation for our own benefit only.  Thank You that our injustice is not ignored by Your justice and that You provide a much better way.  You give a deep well to draw from and clean cold mountain brook to drink from that is a benefit to us and others as we share where the good water is.  Amen."

Pastor Adam