The Burden of Folly
Open Your Bible
Ecclesiastes 10:1-20, Psalm 7:12-17, Proverbs 26:27
BY Erin Davis
“What should you do when you’re in a hole, son?”
This is the question I often ask when one of my four boys responds to correction by arguing or deflecting blame. They know the routine. The question interrupts their defense mechanisms. Most of the time, their little arms drop to their sides as they sigh and answer: “Stop digging.”
It’s a word picture Scripture gives us, and one I like to imagine David used as he corrected his son, Solomon. It was King David who penned, “He dug a pit and hollowed it out but fell into the hole he had made” (Psalm 7:15). Solomon repeated his father’s wisdom when he wrote, “The one who digs a pit may fall into it, and the one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake” (Ecclesiastes 10:8). (Don’t you like how he added that last part?)
I don’t know about you, but I don’t do a lot of pit digging, let alone snake-infested wall-breaking, for that matter. Without context, I might be tempted to race right past these verses thinking they don’t apply. But as we study Scripture’s Wisdom Literature, we see that neither David nor Solomon were warning against a literal pit, the kind that is dug with an actual shovel. No, this is a pit of trouble, and the shovel, in this case, is our words.
It was Solomon who reflected, “The words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him” (Ecclesiastes 10:12), and his father David who prayed, “LORD, set up a guard for my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3).
If you’ve ever felt buried under the weight of your foolish words, or wished there were a superglue that could seal your mouth shut, I’m sure you can relate. We all can. When our words have dug us into a pit of trouble, God’s Word and His Spirit remind us that wise words can only flow from a wise heart. When our speech reveals our folly we have a choice. Argue, deflect, defend, or stop digging and repent, asking the Lord to give us hearts more like His.
54 thoughts on "The Burden of Folly"
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Thank you! I needed this today! ❤️
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The fool doesn’t know when to walk in humility. I am not a non-stop talker, but I am often a speak before I think talker. I’ve felt the spirit nudging me throughout this study to listen more, to stay quiet a bit before barreling into the conversation with my proud opinions. I often find that when God is trying to get my attention, I see the same message in multiple spaces. It is here now in this bible study, and also in the discussion on racial injustice. Help me to take a seat and listen Lord.
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I appreciate your thoughts so much. “Proud opinions” really hit me — how wise I convince myself I am, sometimes! Praying for listening ears and a humble heart.
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I’m right there with you, Lindsay! Quick to hear, slow to speak…
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Thank You Jesus
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Well said Churchmouse! I agree with every thing you wrote. Yes…Jesus and me is Awesome.
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The reading and responses today have convicted me. I was ready to use my words to defend my pride, and although I still feel the need to converse with the person who called me out, I know now I need to do it differently than I had planned. Please pray that my words will be full of God’s grace and truth today, sisters. And that the Holy Spirit will subdue my pride and give me a gentle and humble spirit while I do so.
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Amen:..and I pray that prayer for me as well. As I pray for the same gentle humble spirit in myself to overcome the pride that continuously holds me back from being humble, I will be praying for you as well Kathleen.
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I wish I could reply to people directly on here… I’m on the mobile version of the website, not the app, so I don’t know if that’s an exclusive thing for the app version.
That being said, I have been adding your names and requests to a prayer list so I can keep track and be more diligent as I pray. So please know that even if I don’t say it directly on here or reply, I read through your comments and pray as I read them, and then later on when I look at my list. :)
Churchmouse, it broke my heart yesterday to hear what you’re experiencing.. I am glad to hear your thoughts today and perspective moving forward. Like many of the ladies here, reading your insights each day is a delight for me and gives me more to reflect on. Thank you and the many other ladies who comment and provide insight daily, along with supporting one another.
Today’s reading is enlightening for me… How often have I spoken and immediately regretted it? Or how often have I done something without thinking beforehand of the consequences, and regretted it? I’ve heard it said that what’s in the well comes out in the bucket. What’s done in the dark will be revealed in the light. When no one is watching, how do we act? No one can hear our thoughts but God, so how are our thoughts? When our heart is in the right place and we think on the right things, we are preparing ourselves for right actions. At least that’s what I believe. Integrity and character are so important…
Blessings sisters. Have a beautiful day.
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Sweet Churchmouse, how I love to read your thoughts put down on “paper”. Our church is set to reopen 06-14 and I have struggled with the decision to return or not. I have respitory issues that places me in that high-risk category. I oversee the hospitality piece of our church and the thought of not returning to my “post” is overwhelming. I have ask God to tell me what to do, and begged Him to speak loudly. It has been silent… I have begun to realize it is more my pride that is injured in this decision making process; I see I am more the Martha in my serving. When praying I now hear Him gently say, “more than your presence in church, it’s is your presence with Me that I desire.” I thank you for your beautiful words and that reminder of where church is.
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Erin’s last three sentences hit home to me. “When our words have dug us into a pit of trouble, God’s Word and His Spirit remind us that wise words can only flow from a wise heart. When our speech reveals our folly we have a choice. Argue, deflect, defend, or stop digging and repent, asking the Lord to give us hearts more like His.” My words have dug me into some pits and even some ditches and extra large holes. Too many times, I have not thought before speaking and regretted it later. I am getting better but I still occasionally do it. Lord, help us to think and even pray before we speak, to make sure what we are going to say is meaningful and not hurtful or nonsense or something we will regret later. Seal our lips from saying things they shouldn’t and allow them to talk about You and Your Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen
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Amen!
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