Proverbs in a Nutshell

I'd bet dollars to donuts that all Christians have studied Proverbs. Even I did and I'm not a student of the Bible by any means. When I let this be known to a mentor of mine, I was admonished for my ignorance and instructed to learn the Word, beginning to end. So I started with the first book and couldn’t get past the first passages without being just floored by what was revealed to me. Every verse was throwing me for a loop! But read on I did and really learned a lot. The book from the Old Testament that was a real treat to read for me was Proverbs. What a hoot! I thought to myself. Bet you never saw it that way, did you? Well I am peculiar, I’ll admit it. I would like to tell you why I thought the lessons and teachings were so simple even I “get it”.

I think I was in a good place to absorb knowledge in those days while I was reading it. I came out of that book with these three things: wise men are wise; fools are fools; and loose women are bad news. Yes, that is it in a nutshell. As if I didn’t know that. I asked for understanding and I got simplicity. The Holy Spirit deals with each of us in accordance to our God given ability to comprehend the Truth, okay? You buy that? Good. Then believe me as I say I will never be accused of intellectual arrogance. Yet, was I not supposed to get more than those three ideas from the study of Proverbs?

It was my position from then on out the following - wise men are wise, fools are fools, and loose women are bad news, not to kid myself to even think otherwise. This is not the same as judging people. I thought so for a long, long time and wondered if my take on Proverbs was misconstrued and not right at all. But still I hold to this as right as right can be. For as soon as I credit a fool for being otherwise, I will surely set myself up for a huge disappointment. As sure as I trust a thief to be honest and respect my property, I will be robbed. Do you see where this is going? If I don’t go with my instincts when I meet someone and credit them only for what they project of themselves, then I am the fool for ignoring what was put on my heart in the first place. You’ll not change the person on the basis of hoping you are wrong about them. You got it right the first time.