The Wise in Heart
“The wise in heart receive commandments; but a prating fool shall fall” (Proverbs 10:8).
A wise person is receptive to receiving instruction. That doesn’t mean just listening to someone talk for the sake of listening or because we have to. As a supervisor, I remember situations where team members would courteously engage in feedback discussions, but would not appropriately apply what was discussed. It was like we never talked at all. That only gives the appearance of being receptive, when in fact, there is a passive resistance present. So, when the Psalmist says, the wise in heart receive commandments, he means we hear commandments with the intent and striving to obey; we hear instruction with the intent and striving to apply.
On the other hand, the prating fool shall fall (or come to ruin, as other translations say). To prate, means to babble on, utter empty words, or talk pointlessly. It is arrogance. When we believe we already know something; our openness to learn is severely diminished. We may humor another by giving the appearance of listening, but we are essentially tuned out.
In addition, prating fools talk a lot because they think they know a lot or they have a lot to say. Sometimes, we feel like we talk a lot (as ministers of the Word (whether ordained or not), as customer service providers to internal and/or external customers, as moms, wives, sisters, confidants, and business owners). It’s the nature of carrying those roles. Nevertheless, when we talk a lot, there’s an increased chance of getting ourselves in trouble- sometimes big trouble. Now, more than ever before, we are held accountable and liable for what we say. We are recorded without permission, our videos, social media posts, and blogs are memorialized on the internet. We’d be fools not to acknowledge our situation and the potential dangers.
Let us be in continual prayer that our words will edify others and glorify Jesus. Let us guard against pride and arrogance and be attuned to the fact that there is so much we don’t know. As wise women of Christ; let us be lifetime students of the Word of God; reading, studying, and applying. As women who carry a host of roles in this world, let us be willing to learn what we don’t know, invest in improving our situations, consult wise counselors, partner with like-minded women, and grow wiser and better day by day.
May we be filled (by the grace of God) with wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and grace. May we join together to support one another in the worthy work we have ahead of us.
