Walking with the Wise #500: Avoiding Fools

“A stone is heavy and sand, a burden,

but aggravation from a fool outweighs them both.”
—Proverbs 27:3 (HCSB)

Dealing with foolish people is extremely difficult. In the ancient world, manual labor such as carrying the weight of a heavy stone or bags of sand would be extremely arduous, laborious, and painful, but in comparison with dealing with a fool—its easy. Foolish people are draining to everybody around them—those who work with, under, or above them can testify to how painful and wearying it can be.

The purpose of the proverb is to warn us of entering into relationships with fools. Sometimes, it’s unavoidable, such as when fools become leaders of organizations, or in the workplace, church, or government. Avoiding fools is the ideal, but when avoidance proves unattainable, we do well to speak truth, stand for what is right, and lead by word and example. Fostering an attitude of anger, resentment, hostility, and rancor, will only cultivate impertinence and bitterness. Submission, humility, integrity, honesty, and patience must be exercised so that Christ might be seen within us.

We have all been fools at one time or another, but Christ was perfectly patient with us, giving us an example to live by. May we pursue the example of Christ, abstaining from the attitudes of anger and hostility which bring no glory to God, instead nurturing attitudes that are worthy of children called by His name. Amen.