“A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly.”
Proverbs 26:16 (NIV)
What a masterfully written piece of poetry! Sucks me in every time. I have read this hundreds of time and I still am furious at some particular fool in my life by the time I get to verse 11. Then the pail of cold water is splashed on my face with verse 12 as I hear that there is more hope for a fool than for someone who is wise in their own eyes. Ahhh that would be me at this moment- more hope for the fool than for me. Being wise in our own eyes is usually expressed in our vernacular as “know better than everyone else” and it is a condition that afflicts both genders, all ages and usually strikes us at the most inopportune times. The sluggard –who has crazy excuses for not going outside (vs13), who loves their bed (vs14), who can’t even eat properly (vs15)- the sluggard is super wise in their own eyes. There is a lesson here for all of us – if we don’t want to be wise in our own eyes, don’t play the part of the sluggard! How many people who never lift a finger to work inside the local church, somehow are able to tell those of us volunteering inside the local church the better way to do something, and they can’t believe how foolish we are for doing it the way we are doing it?
Being a sluggard in life brings poverty.
Being a sluggard in my spiritual life brings spiritual poverty.
Being a sluggard in my local church makes me “super wise” in my own eyes.
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