“The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe. The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety. Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor. Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish. The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear a crushed spirit? Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge. Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people! The first to speak in court sounds right— until the cross-examination begins. Flipping a coin can end arguments; it settles disputes between powerful opponents. An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars. Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction. The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord. The poor plead for mercy; the rich answer with insults. There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.”
Proverbs 18:10-24 NLT
“Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish…” we might think that these are synonymous. They are correlated but they are not the same thing. However, when one finds one, he finds the other. These things can often be the result of pride and narcissism. Whereas foolishness is always negative, shame has its merits. A fool with no shame has no chance of success. A fool with shame has a chance to repent. The shame acts as a gnawing and rallying call to be a better person. But this will have to work last the haughtiness and the pride. He will have to open himself up to criticism and listen to the facts. As Solomon later muses, he will have to open himself up to cross examination. This is a major problem in this generation of echo chambers. Many spout many things without listening to anything at all. There ideas are filled with modern axioms and idioms. They sound wise to the foolish, but when placed on the witness stand, they fail to measure up. We must be willing to cross examine these statements. What’s more, we ought to make them, knowing that they will be cross examined.
JOSH McGARY.COM 