10 things you should know about a Fool

Read Proverbs 26.

How should we respond to a fool?  The comparisons and contrasts of wisdom versus foolishness dominate the opening verses of this chapter.  Instruction is given here in regards to the understanding and treatment of fools.

1. Honoring them. (v.1 and v.8)
Do not do it.  It will prove harmful.  Snow or heavy rain at the time of harvest would ruin the crops and destroy profits.  Someone is going to get hurt.

2. Correcting them. (v.3)
Restricting them or inflicting some pain appears to be the only means of controlling them due to the fact you cannot reason with them.

3. Answering them not. (v.4)
Sometimes the best course of action to a foolish rant is to ignore it.  Often, it is only a taunt with the intent to bring you into a fight.

4. Answering them. (v.5)
Sometimes responding to them in kind may help them realize they are not as smart as they thought.  Wisdom is required to know when and when not to respond.

5. Relying on them. (v.6)
Expecting a fool to faithfully carry out his duties will prove harmful to the one who sent him.

6. Teaching them. (v.7)
Wise words are useless to a fool because his heart is not right with God.  Being wise is an inside job.

7. Understanding them. (v.9)
A fool lacks sense.  His feelings are numb to certain things in life.  He does not feel the impact of wise words.

8. Hiring them. (v.10)
A fool in the work place can jeopardize the morale and production of all the other employees.

9. Enduring them. (v.11)
He will keep on making the same bad decisions over and over until there is some strong correction or a change of heart.

10. Comparing them. (v.12)
There is someone worse than a fool and that is the egoist.  A person who is full of themselves thinks they know better than everyone else.  Like the fool, they do not listen to wisdom.