Dangerous Wisdom

"Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him" (Prov. 26:12, ESV).

The person who is wise in their own eyes is the one who already has an answer for everything. If you notice a sin in their life and lovingly call them to forsake it, they can tell you why it isn't really as bad as you believe or why you should mind your own business. Every time they are approached with a biblical truth that is contrary to their personal opinion they can easily explain it away. Sometimes they refer to the cultural divide-that was for them back then, it doesn't apply to us today. They may reject the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures by saying men wrote the Bible. While such a statement is technically true it fails to recognize what the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures, and the human writers all testify to: the Scripture is not of human making, but is God's revelation of himself to man through the Holy Spirit who directed men to write what is contained in the Bible. Thus, Scripture is God-breathed, not human imagined.

The reader is warned that a man who possess all the answers, but is not dependent upon God for finding them is dangerous to be around. Proverbs teaches us that a fool and his folly are hard to separate. Fools, by their very nature, love folly. Thus, to say a fool has a greater shot reformation than the self-professed sage tells us much. It tells arguing with a person who believes they are right (no matter what the Word says) is a complete waste of time. It teaches to recognize the fruit of reprobation. When a person comes to you under the guise of seeking advise, but has an excuse around every point you make, they demonstrate that they don't truly want a solution, just support. Why cast your pearls before swine?

This passage also teaches us not to cultivate such a spirit in our own heart. For the author of Proverbs, there is little worse than a fool, except a fool who believes he is wise. People who live as if their opinions have an authority equal to or greater than the Bible are deceived. The are blind guides seeking to lead the way. Solomon warns us to steer clear of this attitude, whether present in us or another. Wisdom that does do not move us to bow in trust at the foot of the cross, to flee from our sins, and compel us to walk in humble obedience, is not wisdom but foolishness.