Proverbs

A Bear Is Better
By Gwen Reeves (can't recall where I lifted it, but it can be googled in 7th day Adventist literature, [I be a Calvinist, but I respect a well-reasoned pre-millinial world view.])])

Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, rather than a fool in his folly." Proverbs 17:12.
A few years ago we were visiting the home of a friend and noticed a most interesting poster on the wall depicting the truth that is expressed in this verse. As you can imagine, it caught the attention of our young children, and they stood for some time studying it. We discussed it at the time. As time passed, however, I did not think much more about it.
In our family worship we often read the chapter from Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month. Some time later, when in our worship we again read Proverbs 17:12, events that we had recently experienced had so shaped our thinking that the verse took on new meaning for us; and we were reminded of the poster that we had seen some time before. As we reflected on the significance of the wise man’s words, we began to realize that they have a depth of meaning beyond what words can adequately express. This text of Scripture has caused me to ask the Lord to deliver me from the folly of the fool! To be delivered from the folly of fools, we must have first had folly taken out of our own hearts.

.... as terrible as is the wrath of a mother bear who has been robbed of her cubs, it is not so much to be feared as is a fool in his folly.
Solomon tells us what the folly of fools is. "The folly of fools is deceit." Proverbs 14:8.
...The Lord has warned us, "A companion of fools shall be destroyed." Proverbs 13:20. As you are confidently passing along the road of life, you need to be aware that lurking not far from you, possibly just around the next corner, is a secret and hidden enemy, far more dangerous than an angered mother bear—and that enemy is deceit.
FALSE FRIENDS MORE TO BE FEARED THAN OPEN ENEMIES
In all of the stories of angry bears, we found them to be an aggressive and open enemy. Far less to be feared is an enemy who openly seeks to destroy you, than one who professes friendship, flattering with his lips, but in whose heart is hatred. The Bible describes what this secret enemy is like: "He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips." Proverbs 20:19.
......."Go from the presence of the foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.""Speak not in the ears of a fool." Proverbs 14:7; 23:9.
..... we made a list of the texts that were descriptive of a fool in his folly, describing his deceit. It would be well for all of us to keep these words of wisdom in mind. Here is a partial list from the book of Proverbs.
• Fools despise wisdom and instruction. 1:7
• Fools hate knowledge. 1:22
• He that hides hatred with lying lips, and who utters slander is a fool. 10:23
• It is a sport of a fool to do mischief. 10:23
• The way of a fool is right in his own eyes. 12:15
• A fool’s wrath is presently known. 12:16
• A fool lays open, or reveals his folly. 13:16
• A foolish woman plucketh down her house with her hands. 14:1
• In the mouth of the fool is a rod of pride. 14:3
• The folly of fools is deceit. 14:8
• Fools make a mock of sin. 14:9
• The fool rageth and is confident. 14:16
• A fool despiseth his father’s instruction. 15:5
• A foolish man despiseth his mother. 15:20
• A reproof entereth more into a wise man than a hundred stripes into a fool. 17:10
• The eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth. 17:24
• A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes. 18:6
• A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul. 18:7
• He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is a folly and shame unto him. 18:13
• Every fool will be starting a quarrel. 20:3
• A foolish man spends up the treasure. 21:20
• A fool returns to his folly as a dog returns to his vomit. 26:11
• A fool uttereth all his mind, but a wise man keepeth it till afterward. 29:11
After you have thoughtfully considered the traits of a fool, as the Lord has identified them for us, remember the seriousness of the matter. The wise man was not making an exaggerated statement when he warned us that a furious mother bear was less to be feared than the deceit of a fool. It is well summed up in this verse. "The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going." Proverbs 14:15.
We need to keep ever before our minds that the One who counseled us to be harmless as doves also admonished us to be as wise as serpents. (See Matthew 10:16.)

. How sad it is that so often "the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light." Luke 16:8.
Friends, if we are simple minded, we are liable to be destroyed because someone will come to us with fair words, concealing the hatred that is hidden in the heart. That, friends, is deceit and more dangerous than an open enemy. That which appears to be a comparatively small snake, might be worse than a dragon.
We can be so thankful that the Lord has not left us to our own demise. He has promised to help the simple minded. Proverbs 1:4 tells us that if we listen to His words, they will "give subtlety to the simple." What a fabulous promise. Even fools can become wise.
"O ye simple, understand wisdom, and ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart." Proverbs 8:5.
The terrible truth of the power of deceitful subtlety is found in the history of Adam and Eve.....
In the passage of time, Satan has lost none of his cunning and deceitfulness. Those of God’s people whom he can not destroy through an open, frontal attack he is often successful in overthrowing by deceitfulness. As you study the book of Proverbs, you can readily see that there are several tell-tale signs that deceit may be being used.
TWELVE WAYS TO KNOW A FOOL
I would like to summarize twelve character traits that quickly reveal to us, regardless of profession, that a person is a fool.
1. He indulges in flattery.
2. He finds pleasure in evil conduct.
3. He has a quick, or uncontrolled temper.
4. He mocks at making amends for sin.
5. He refuses to listen to his parents.
6. He is talkative, speaking all of his mind.
7. He does not listen to reproof.
8. He is contentious and quarrelsome. This is my sin
9. He is arrogant.
10. He spends all that he has, often living beyond his means.
11. He is quick to answer, without pausing to give a thought-out reply.
12. He is a talebearer, or gossiper.
TRIALS ALONE WILL NOT SAVE US
We face many trials; but trials, in and of themselves, will not save us, or otherwise, the whole world would be saved. "Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, yet his foolishness will not depart from him." Proverbs 27:22 NKJV. Though we may lack wisdom, our condition does not have to remain such, for we have been promised, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." James 1:5. We must, however, submit our wills to God’s will in every matter of life;
If we do this, determining to do nothing that will dishonor our Lord, He will gently reprove our wrongs and change us into His image. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17.
The time in which we are living is a momentous one, weighted with eternal consequences. The rapidly unfolding events in the world speak eloquently to the shortness of time. Now is the time that we must remedy the defects of our character, becoming wise in the wisdom of the Lord, lest we stumble and fall amidst the trials and temptations of the last days.