He who winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will be ruined.
Message: Non-verbal and verbal wounds
Time: Proverbs records multiple individuals as its author with Solomon as the principal author. Solomon died in 931 BC though most think the book was likely in its final form sometime before the end of Hezekiah’s reign in 686 BC. It is a book that instructs people on the path of wisdom. It speaks to all of life and living our lives under the authority and direction of God.
What the Lord is Saying: I think my brain is overloaded. I am not getting to these lessons like I have in the past. I am over 3 months into one issue of Tabletalk. I simply have too many logs in the fire, but I still believe I am doing a lot of good things. I had this ambition to study through Proverbs. That was back on April 2. At this rate, it will take me the rest of my life to get through all of these Proverbs, but I suppose that is okay. I am learning, meditating and discovering God's word and truth.
Once again in these texts is a virtue and a vice. A desire and a danger. And yet in this verse there seems to be two notes of caution spoken possibly. Two vices are presented with no countering virtue. This is a first in my readings.
One who winks does not speak and this is compared to one that babbles. The one not speaking does cause trouble. The one who babbles causes ruin.
Joseph Benson (1748-1821) said winks "secretly and cunningly designs mischiefs against others." The non-verbal is saying one thing, but doing another. The work that is contrary to the speech causes trouble. People are always watching the Christian, hoping to catch the person in a lie. The wink draws a person in, in a subtle manner albeit, but still draws that person to go along. It is a wink or a head nod. The issue is a desire to deceive, to lead astray, to engage in mischief. I notice a book in the Apocrypha, Sirach 27:22 says, "He that winketh with the eyes worketh evil." The trouble that comes involves both the speaker and the hearer.
But what is more severe is the babbling fool. Rather than only a wink, this one utters extreme words of confusion. There is an extreme in speech. The wink is often singular in its role to deceive, focusing on one individual, but the babbling fool impacts many. Often when speaking of ruin it is more far reaching that trouble. Ruin covers a city or the fall of many people.
There is such a danger in opening one's mouth.
I look at some of the parallel passages or different translations and actually saw in some of them a virtue.
New Living Translation -- "People who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof promotes peace."
I notice the proverb says babbling does not necessarily result in ruin to many, though I know it has a potential to do that, but the ruin is earmarked to the fool. The "fool will be ruined." The wink produces trouble, but the one with many words will be ruined.
The Christian Bible says, "foolish lips will be destroyed."
I still think the intent is to show the mouth has a much clearer outcome. Words are so quickly spread today - through social media we are in greater communication than ever before. Words are plastered on screens and at times permanently etched for all to see.
Prayer: O how I must be careful in my words. Yes, careful in my head nods and winks and eye movements, but my words hold the real power and I pray they are conforming to God's will.
Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.
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