Never pretend to know something that you don’t. That is the best way to make a fool of your-self. Those who know will see you are lying and you will not be trusted.”
–Dave P. Fisher (Where No Man Rules)
“The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.”
–Proverbs 12:22 (NIV)
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“Whoever hides hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.” –Proverbs 10:18 (NKJV)
“The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.” –Proverbs 10:18 (ESV)
Here we see another example to add to our list of a fool. The liar, the slanderer,the hypocrite are all mentioned or implied–whomever does these things is a fool. God gave instructions to Moses, “You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the LORD. You shall not hate your brother in your heart…” (Leviticus 19:16-17, NKJV) Note this, that the hypocrite and slanderer are one and the same person. Bob Bealey informs us, “In your presence, the hypocrite hides his hatred of you, and may even speak words of friendship. But when your back is turned he slanders you like you are his worst enemy.”
This fool is one who has self-love and wants even those he hates to think well of him. The words of the law remind us that we are not to “flatter a man when you actually hate him.”(J. Vernon McGee) and the New Testament warns us about having hatred in our hearts towards others. Look at the list in Romans 1 and we see whisperers, backbiters, boasters mentioned by Paul as those whom God will judge. He mentions the following in his letter to Timothy, lovers of themselves, boasters, slanderers whom he says “will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all…” (2 Timothy 3:9, NKJV)
The person who spreads gossip is a fool. Flores calls him a “malignant flatterer.” Malignancy–cancer, the man who gossips is like a cancer not only to himself, but to those to whom he spews his lies. Always remember, the liar, the slanderer, the talebearer always follows the lead of his father–the devil, that father of lies who was a liar from the beginning. Think about a liar: he is a fool because he fights for a weak cause. “When a case can only be made out by lying it is manifesting a bad one.” (Flores) He is a fool because he makes use of a weak weapon. The lie cannot stand against the truth. One more thing that makes him a fool for by lying he degrades his moral character. Soon, he will be known as he is known–a liar, a person of unclean lips, a fool.
It was said of King Philip of Spain that his smile and dagger were never far apart. That may at times be practical, but think of it. Could he be trusted? Two great warriors and Abner has come to join David. Joab is wary of Abner and to protect David, he lures Abner out with him. The Bible says, “Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach.” (2 Samuel 3:27, NKJV) Now there is much more to the story, and I am not saying at all that Joab was a fool, but the manner in which Joab acted was one of a person who hid hatred with lying lips, luring his prey away privately to kill him.
Then we have those sneaky conspirators, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem. “Come on down and meet with us Nehemiah. Let’s have a friendly meeting.” Ha and Nehemiah recognized the ruse for he knew the men who offered the appeasement. He saw that they “thought to do me harm.” (Nehemiah 6:2, NKJV) I like the way Nehemiah replies to these fools, “I am busy, too busy to meet with fools. I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.” (verse 3, paraphrased) See these men concealed their hatred by lying, a “friendly meeting”?
Beware of those around you. Let the Holy Spirit discern the hearts of those who seek to do you harm; those who seem to flatter you. Beware of “boot-licking-lackeys” for they have their own agenda, and it is that of a fool. John Dod, the great theologian said this, “Do not hearken to the reports of suck wicked persons as seek to defame others and detract from their good name; they are but foolish and base pedlars that utter such infectious wares.” So add to your list, another characteristic of the fool.
“The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.”
–Proverbs 12:22 (NIV)
—————————-
“Whoever hides hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.” –Proverbs 10:18 (NKJV)
“The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.” –Proverbs 10:18 (ESV)
Here we see another example to add to our list of a fool. The liar, the slanderer,the hypocrite are all mentioned or implied–whomever does these things is a fool. God gave instructions to Moses, “You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the LORD. You shall not hate your brother in your heart…” (Leviticus 19:16-17, NKJV) Note this, that the hypocrite and slanderer are one and the same person. Bob Bealey informs us, “In your presence, the hypocrite hides his hatred of you, and may even speak words of friendship. But when your back is turned he slanders you like you are his worst enemy.”
This fool is one who has self-love and wants even those he hates to think well of him. The words of the law remind us that we are not to “flatter a man when you actually hate him.”(J. Vernon McGee) and the New Testament warns us about having hatred in our hearts towards others. Look at the list in Romans 1 and we see whisperers, backbiters, boasters mentioned by Paul as those whom God will judge. He mentions the following in his letter to Timothy, lovers of themselves, boasters, slanderers whom he says “will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all…” (2 Timothy 3:9, NKJV)
The person who spreads gossip is a fool. Flores calls him a “malignant flatterer.” Malignancy–cancer, the man who gossips is like a cancer not only to himself, but to those to whom he spews his lies. Always remember, the liar, the slanderer, the talebearer always follows the lead of his father–the devil, that father of lies who was a liar from the beginning. Think about a liar: he is a fool because he fights for a weak cause. “When a case can only be made out by lying it is manifesting a bad one.” (Flores) He is a fool because he makes use of a weak weapon. The lie cannot stand against the truth. One more thing that makes him a fool for by lying he degrades his moral character. Soon, he will be known as he is known–a liar, a person of unclean lips, a fool.
It was said of King Philip of Spain that his smile and dagger were never far apart. That may at times be practical, but think of it. Could he be trusted? Two great warriors and Abner has come to join David. Joab is wary of Abner and to protect David, he lures Abner out with him. The Bible says, “Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach.” (2 Samuel 3:27, NKJV) Now there is much more to the story, and I am not saying at all that Joab was a fool, but the manner in which Joab acted was one of a person who hid hatred with lying lips, luring his prey away privately to kill him.
Then we have those sneaky conspirators, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem. “Come on down and meet with us Nehemiah. Let’s have a friendly meeting.” Ha and Nehemiah recognized the ruse for he knew the men who offered the appeasement. He saw that they “thought to do me harm.” (Nehemiah 6:2, NKJV) I like the way Nehemiah replies to these fools, “I am busy, too busy to meet with fools. I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.” (verse 3, paraphrased) See these men concealed their hatred by lying, a “friendly meeting”?
Beware of those around you. Let the Holy Spirit discern the hearts of those who seek to do you harm; those who seem to flatter you. Beware of “boot-licking-lackeys” for they have their own agenda, and it is that of a fool. John Dod, the great theologian said this, “Do not hearken to the reports of suck wicked persons as seek to defame others and detract from their good name; they are but foolish and base pedlars that utter such infectious wares.” So add to your list, another characteristic of the fool.