Text: “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his own opinion” (Proverbs 18:2).

Context, Context, Context: Proverbs is a book of wisdom for daily life. Penned mostly by Solomon, it is chock-full of aphorisms. It has one overarching goal: obedience to God’s wisdom.

Questions: Ever known folks who talk more than they listen? Ever noticed how some folks long to be viewed as smart but they often just come across as smart alecks?

Mark Twain wrote, “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”

Encouragement: Scripture says a great deal about those who teach. James wrote, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1). None of us who teaches Scripture escapes divine evaluation. We are told up front in Scripture that we are held to a higher standard. Solomon wrote another book of wisdom entitled Ecclesiastes in which he penned the following: “Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few” (Ecclesiastes 5:2). The tongue is a fire, Scripture teaches. It is often set on fire by hell (James 3:6). Ergo, let the wisest among us know when to use it and when to refrain from using it.