We continue discovering the Proverbs of Solomon that were the meditations of Hezekiah. We will see many familiar themes in Proverbs 26 as we have seen before. The Bible repeats for emphasis. All of Holy Scripture is important but repeated themes call us to pay close attention.
v.1 – Honor is not fitting for a fool.
v.2 – Notice the poetic imagery. God honors a righteous person. A person who opposes them opposes God.
v.3 – The reward of folly is pain and suffering.
vv.4-12 – Call us to consider the foolishness of fools. They are wise only in their own eyes. The best answer to a fool is no answer at all. There is no hope for one who stands alone and aloof in their own foolishness.
vv.13-16 – The sluggard or lazy is directly connected with the fool. Both pathways are paths of indifference and eventual demise.
vv.17-22 – Focus again on the mouth. Here we see descriptions of one who does not use his tongue wisely. A madman who enjoys quarrels and therefore is despised.
vv.23-28 – Closely connected to the tongue, these verses concern the liar.
There is security in righteousness. Righteousness reveals itself in wise speech. A wise heart produces wise speech. The fruit of a foolish heart bears on the lips. May God let our speech be seasoned wisely to reveal our righteous pursuit down Wisdom’s Pathway.