Ever since I was young, the book of Proverbs has fascinated me. There was just something about it—all those short little sayings that you could read in a couple of seconds but end up thinking about for the rest of the day. Now that I am an old man, I have come to realize that the proverbs are not designed to answer questions; they are designed to cultivate wisdom.

I think this was brought home to me years ago when I was looking and laughing at the following two verses:

Prov 26:4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. Prov 26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

Well… do you or don’t you answer a fool according to his folly?

These two verses seem to contradict each other, and they have been located right next to each other in the scriptures for thousands of years. This is no accident. This is not an error; it is the lesson. I would interpret it as something like this: sometimes, you have to engage with fools because it is the only way to help them, but in engaging with fools, we run the risk of becoming one ourselves. There is no black-and-white answer for how to respond to a fool. Wisdom is the only thing that will help us in these situations. Through the guidance of these proverbs, the Spirit of God, coupled with experience, will give us the needed wisdom.

Today, I want to look at another Proverb I have often enjoyed. One that runs a lot deeper than it would appear on the surface. This is a proverb about the wisdom of small creatures, but again, it teaches us wisdom, not zoology.

Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise:

This collection of small and helpless creatures each has a trait that the wise will learn from.

Ants

Ants are not strong. Individually, they can be easily killed, but they work together to gather food when it is plentiful in the summer. They don’t gorge and starve. They don’t waste opportunities. They think about the needs of the future and take steps to prepare. I am ashamed to say these little guys are often wiser than me. They are more persistent, too, if you’ve ever watched them go after a food supply.

Ants also work together, knowing that together, they can do things they could never do separately. If you have ever watched a chain of ants doing their work, you know something amazing is happening. It may be an annoying thing to watch in your kitchen, but it’s still amazing.

Rock Badgers

The rock badgers are also small and easy prey, but they are wise. They fortify their weakness rather than arrogantly assume they can handle whatever comes their way. They live and work from a position of safety, high above the fray.

Locusts

Locusts work together without anyone forcing them to obey. They move and work together without leadership. They know that together, they are safer than they are as individuals—a volunteer army without a commander.

The Lizard

The lizard here likely describes the lowly gecko. In warmer climates you will find these little guys patroling the walls in the most unusual places. They eat bugs and don’t bother anyone, so in most of the places I have been, they are considered little household friends. They are unassuming and don’t make any noise, and as the proverb states, they are not that hard to catch. Yet you will find them in the most amazing places. The wisdom of the gecko is that it quietly goes about its work and minds its own business. It is not ambitious or self-aggrandizing, but you will find it quietly doing its job even in kings’ palaces.

This Week

Since it’s the new year, it’s always a good time to do something new. Try taking a month and reading a chapter a day in Proverbs. Or if that does not work read a shorter passage but give yourself time to meditate on the wisdom being offered. Instead of blurring your brain and numbing your soul with news and social media first thing in the morning, enjoy a few minutes of peace, taking in some ancient wisdom. (I take mine with coffee ;)

Have a great week!