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Proverbs 18:2

A Fool’s Heart

 

Introduction:

  1. This proverb speaks of a particular KIND of folly.
  2. Solomon speaks of the kind of person who is not really interested in learning. He is only interested in spouting off his own opinion.
  3. We’ve all met folks like this. Perhaps on occasion we have even BEHAVED like this.
  4. Solomon warns us that it is folly. If it IS part of our personal character, it something that should be put away. It’s folly.

 

 

A fool hath no delight in understanding

 

    1. Fool Defined

 

  1. This is the common word for fool in Proverbs.
  2. This term is used 61 times in the OT. 49 times in Proverbs.
  3. Defined:
    1. Fool; stupid fellow, dullard, simpleton, arrogant one
    2. one completely lacking understanding, implying to be a rebel against standard or person.
    3. persons are usually unable to deal with life in a successful, practical way

 

    1. Hath No Delight in Understanding

 

  1. Delight defined:
    1. Strongs: delight in, take pleasure in, desire, be pleased with
    2. delight, take pleasure in, be eager, i.e., have a fondness or affection for an object or experience; desire for

 

  1. Understanding Defined:
    1. Strongs: intelligence; insight;
    2. wisdom, i.e., capacity for discerning a right course of action; logic; reasoning; knowledge

 

  1. Solomon states that this kind of fool takes no pleasure in understanding.
    1. He is not fond of learning;
    2. He is not eager to obtain true knowledge;
    3. Wisdom is not the object of his inward affection;
    4. He is not pleased with understanding.
    5. In this kind of fool, there is no inner hunger for learning; no drive for wisdom; no taste for reason;
    6. What a man has no hunger for – he will not strive for.
    7. And because he does not strive for it – he will never obtain it.
    8. Prov. 17:16 – he has no heart for it.

 

  1. Prov. 8:5 – they need an understanding heart…
    1. Here Lady Wisdom is pleading with such fools, “BE” of an understanding heart!
    2. She notices that they do NOT have an understanding heart and she wishes that they did. She WANTS them to have an understanding heart… and she offers them all the understanding they need to OBTAIN one.
    3. But, sadly, she realizes that they do not have understanding.
    4. The REASON here is that these kind of fools do not respond to her offers of wisdom.

 

  1. Prov.18:2 gives us additional information as to WHY the fool does not have an understanding heart: he has no DELIGHT in it.
    1. He doesn’t respond to the offers because he doesn’t LIKE it… he has no hunger or taste for it.
    2. It is somewhat like a man who visits the doctor and is told that he is in danger of developing stomach cancer unless he eats lots of broccoli.

                                         i.    The broccoli is readily available. It is offered to him – his wife cooks it and puts it on his plate.

                                        ii.    He desperately needs it. But he won’t eat it because he doesn’t like the taste of it.

                                      iii.    That is folly. He will suffer greatly from that folly too, yet his broccoli remains on his plate.

    1. That is the kind of folly Solomon describes here.

                                         i.    This fool desperately NEEDS an understanding heart.

                                        ii.    It is available. It is constantly put before him.

                                      iii.    People plead with him to take it in…

                                      iv.    But he has no delight in understanding… and leaves it on his plate.

                                       v.    As a result, he will suffer greatly throughout life because of this folly.

    1. If he would just take in a little, he might be able to develop a taste for it… he might even discover that it’s not so bad after all. But he refuses.

 

But that his heart may discover itself.

 

  1. The heart
    1. inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding
    2. soul, spirit, self, i.e., the source of life of the inner person
    3. inner self or being; personality

 

  1. This term here speaks of the inner thoughts, desire, and emotions; what is going on INSIDE a man…
    1. What goes on inside a man is not seen or heard by others unless it is communicated.
    2. When people stand around in a group conversing and one person remains silent, you don’t really know what he’s thinking… what he’s feeling… what his view is.
    3. Prov. 17:28 – if that person is a fool and keeps quiet, you might even assume that he is wise.

                                         i.    He might be esteemed to be a man of understanding – even though he isn’t.

                                        ii.    But all that is contingent upon one thing: keeping his mouth shut!

                                      iii.    If he holds his peace, he is counted wise.

                                      iv.    That is so because others cannot READ his mind; you cannot tell what he is thinking or feeling simply by observing.

                                       v.    What transpires on the inside is hidden from outside observers… UNTIL he opens his mouth.

                                      vi.    Solomon’s point in this proverb is that if this fool would just keep his mouth shut, he would be far better off!

                                    vii.    As soon as he opens his mouth, the cat is out of the bag – everyone knows he is a fool.

 

  1. Discover itself.
    1. Strongs: uncover oneself; to discover or show oneself; to reveal himself.
    2. To open up; reveal; make known;
    3. To expose; to lay bare;
    4. Lev. 20:18 - Used often in the OT of “not discovering the nakedness of a person”
    5. But here is not used of discovering or exposing a person’s body or outward man… but rather, a discovering or exposing of his INNER man.

 

  1. BUT --- Solomon’s point: this kind of fool has no DELIGHT in learning.
    1. BUT here’s what he DOES delight in: exposing his OWN inner thoughts and opinions.
    2. He delights in discovering – exposing – laying bare – revealing – making known his own personal thoughts and ideas…
    3. He delights in telling others his own views & opinions, but he does not delight in learning FROM others.
    4. Prov. 29:11 – A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.

                                         i.    He loves to speak his mind… and tell others what his thoughts or views are (no matter how bizarre)…

                                        ii.    Now keep in mind, this fool does not POSSESS understanding… so when he spouts off his own opinion – it is usually a FOOLISH opinion.

    1. But he has no taste for learning from others who POSSESS knowledge.
    2. James 1:19 - He behaves the opposite of what James recommends: “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak…”

                                         i.    This man is slow to hear and swift to speak… He is a fool.

                                        ii.    Slow to hear – he won’t listen to others and learn. He has no appetite for it.

                                      iii.    But, he delights in exposing all the foolish thoughts that rattle around in his head… whatever he feels about a subject… whatever he thinks – regardless of how foolish his view might be.

    1. One commentator summarized the folly of this fool this way: He has a “closed mind” and “open mouth.”
    2. Now if he would just keep his mouth shut, we might think him to be wise and discerning.
    3. But he CAN’T keep his mouth shut. He DELIGHTS in discovering to others – in exposing his inner thoughts…
    4. And as soon as he speaks, all such thoughts of him being wise dissipate.

 

 

 

  1. “Discovering” is an interesting term.
    1. It may have been used in order to have a double meaning… an implied innuendo… a term pregnant in meaning… purposely ambiguous.
    2. On the one hand, he “reveals” the thoughts of his inner man to others by telling them what’s on his mind.
    3. On the other hand, he “exposes the folly in his heart.”
    4. When something is DISCOVERED and opened up to public sight – it either reveals something wonderful OR it exposes something awful!
    5. In other words, he thinks that by revealing his thoughts he is revealing to others how WISE he is… thinking that others will be dazzled by his brilliance.
    6. When in reality, he is actually exposing to others how FOOLISH he really is.
    7. When he speaks, instead of displaying his wisdom, he exposes his folly and emptiness.
    8. Solomon sadly points out that those who have the least amount of wisdom and understanding are often the ones who delight in voicing their views.  

 

  1. There is an element of PRIDE in all this.
    1. The fool is not only foolish, but proud.
    2. This makes his folly even more dangerous…because he THINKS his foolish thoughts are wise… worth sharing.
    3. In fact, he thinks his opinions and views are superior to others… that’s WHY he reveals them – as if they were precious gems.
    4. But in revealing them, he exposes how foolish he is.
    5. Pride is at the heart of this problem.
    6. His own thoughts and views are all important to this fool.
    7. Pride prevents him from learning when Lady Wisdom cries out. (I don’t need that! What can she teach me that I don’t already know?!)
    8. Pride causes his to spout off his own opinions… thinking he is dazzling the crowd with his wisdom.
    9. The kind of wisdom and folly about which Solomon writes is not so much a matter of one’s IQ – although the intellect is involved. It is really a matter of the heart.