Harmful

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

HARMFUL

Prov 26:9

9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard's hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

NIV

We are still with the fool. More comparisons of how foolish it is for a fool to quote a proverb. The idea conveyed here is about the thornbush. There is something about handling a thorn which is revealed to us from Samuel.

2 Sam 23:6-7

6 But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns, which are not gathered with the hand. 7 Whoever touches thorns uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear; they are burned up where they lie."

NIV

It appears by picking up thorns by the hand it would do that person harm. It is sort of like trying to handle a bunch of long stem roses, grabbing them by the stem within regard for how the thorns would stick us and even cause some bleeding, besides it would hurt. So it is with someone who quotes a proverb, or any scripture for that matter without the understanding of its meaning. Maybe it is a little of a leap, but just maybe this might also be like someone who uses the scriptures to act like a believer, but is truly not one. This might be why Jesus said he never knew them.

Matt 7:21-27

21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23 Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' 24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." 

NIV

This is the fool who uses a proverb, a scripture acting as if he knows what is what, but Jesus makes a condition to being a believer. Doing the will of the Father. The fool uses the scriptures for he own benefit, not for the benefit of God. The fool may quote all the right words, but missing the point of doing the will of the Father. This has been apparent in those who quote those verses in Mark about if we say to this mountain be cast into the sea, it will happen, if we have faith. That is God is obligated to do whatever we say. How foolish to think that way, that God has obligated himself to be our servant, to do our bidding just because we have faith and we say it, so we have it. Yes, that is what Jesus said, but he also finished that with forgiving others, a condition for being about to produce those kind of results with our words in prayer. So let us not pay much attention to the fools who quote proverbs, or scripture, but do not understand the whole of it. They only see in part, and that not only harms them, but those who listen to them.