Proverbs 12:16 — Treasures

Fools show their annoyance at once,
    but the prudent overlook an insult.

Summary: One of the many treasures in Proverbs is today’s passage. Fools come in all shapes and sizes. Some are obviously dumb and others appear to be highly educated. No amount of education guarantees that a person will never be a fool. 

When I was a little kid, my parents would occasionally take the family out for dinner. There was one restaurant in particular that left an indelible mark on my memory.

It was a nice “sit down” restaurant in town. My dad knew the owner, and the owner of the restaurant knew his customers. He liked to tell us kids, “I knew your daddy when he was poor!” It was a nice way of saying he thought dad was an important man now.

I don’t remember the food, but I remember the treasure chest. At the reservation desk by the entrance to the restaurant, there was a cardboard “treasure chest” (yes, it looked like an actual pirate treasure chest!) full of toys. They were little trinkets of various kinds worth only pennies, but to my little eyes, they seemed like a fortune. Each of my brothers and I got to pick out one “treasure” to take home after dinner. I don’t remember the toys, but I remember the adventure and wonder of picking them out.

In some ways, Proverbs reminds me of that treasure chest. There are so many things to choose from! Each little proverb is like a shiny coin or gemstone, glimmering in the light. I want them all, but I cannot hold more than one at a time. Today’s proverb is especially valuable.

How many times have you run across someone short-tempered? When things don’t go their way, they flare up in anger, lashing out at whoever stands in their way.

Oddly, many of these people are highly educated. They have come to believe that their education places them above “ordinary” people. Because of what they know, they believe they are “smarter” than you or I.

I have always looked at people like this with caution. Having “book knowledge” doesn’t mean you “know” anything. It means you know what is in the book, but you don’t know if the book’s author knows anything. Even if the book is accurate, reading it doesn’t guarantee understanding. You can read a book on piloting a helicopter, but flying one is a very different matter.

Solomon calls these short-tempered people “fools.” Whether they are highly educated or simply the schoolyard bully, they both fall into the same category.

Application: Be aware that bluster and arrogance are no substitute for actual knowledge. 

Food for Thought: Why is it prudent to overlook an insult?