THE REST OF THE STORY

READING: PROVERBS 13:13-21

Verse 20: “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.”

The biblical Proverbs are often presented in two parts. The second part often contrasts the first. As you may have already noted, verse 20 above is such a proverb. The first part is about the wise. The statement made is clear and easy to grasp. Basically it states that we become like those with whom we associate, that are wise. The second part is about the foolish. If a person were to stop reading too soon, it is likely that person would conclude wrongly about this part. Based on the message in the first part, it would be expected that the point of the second part would be about becoming foolish as  the result of keeping company with the foolish. Not so, there is a surprise! Instead, the second part informs the reader that the result of hanging out with fools does not stop with only the creation of more foolishness. Instead it goes much further and produces destruction! This unexpected variation in the second part serves to magnify the counsel provided in the first part, and multiplies its impact. It helps us to appreciate that those who practice associations with the wise are not only made wise, they are also saved from the destruction that is associated with the foolish. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. In today’s culture, what does it take to walk with wise men?

2. Is there another proverb that this one brings to mind?