Proverbs 18:1 Unfriendly people care only about themselves; they lash out at common sense.

• The NKJV uses the word "isolate" instead of "unfriendly" in this passage.  So then one who isolates himself generally is one who has not gotten along with others, lacking social skills, having a rebellious spirit and refuses sound judgment given by others.  As such, they want their own way which drives them to be unsocial toward others.  Many are introverted and into themselves cutting themselves off from family, friends, and community because they are not willing to give of themselves toward others.  God created mankind to be social beings with Him and with others.  No man is an island unto himself - isolation was not how God created us.  He wants us to be social beings, communicating with one another in love and unity.

² Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.

• We have talked much about the fool, for he or she is one who refused to get knowledge and understanding, and unable to walk in wisdom.  A fool isn't afraid, however, to express his own opinion, which only demonstrates his own foolishness.

³ Doing wrong leads to disgrace, and scandalous behavior brings contempt.  

We must never forget that when Proverbs speaks of someone who is doing wicked things, it means they are doing things that are contrary to the will of God.  Wickedness is an abomination to God.

• Those who purpose to do wrong bring contempt with them.  They scorn others, insulting them in their contempt as they put others dosw, acting as superior over them them, which is pride.  Their behavior shows themselves to be disgraceful as they dishonor themselves.  This is an abomination to God and they will be judged by Him accordingly.

⁴ Wise words are like deep waters; wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook.

• We have all heard words that come from someone to where we know is good sound advice and that we need to take heed and pay attention.  We may even write down what they said because you want to remember what was spoken as being wise or profound, and worthy of knowing for future reference. 
• We all reveal the depths of our heart by the words that come out of our mouths.  Out of our mouth comes blessings or cursings.  We can speak with depth of meaning or shallow to where our words mean nothing.
• If we have shallow speech, our words expressed in our mouth are either not worth repeating or soon forgotten.  They carry no purpose or meaning. 
• Wise words spoken, however, have depth and meaning, coming from deep within a person's heart like a deep well or wellspring.  They carry meaning, and often are profound.  God wants us to strive to use wise words from our mouths that edify and build one another up, which means we need to get God's wisdom in us, purposing to understand and then share it out with others.  Mean what you say and say what you mean as you purpose to minister life to others. 

⁵ It is not right to acquit the guilty or deny justice to the innocent.

• A morally righteous person knows it is terribly wrong to deny justice to the innocent or acquit the guilty.  Sadly, we live in a country where bribes are take, partiality is given to the rich or wicked, even though our laws are set up where each person's case is to be judged on its own merits.  The cause should be heard, not the person.   If nothing is done in such a travesty, eventually, the people will rise up to bring about justice because the justice system refused to act morally.  That will bring on more travesty because it can affect a whole nation.  This is not only a sin against God, the person, and society, God considers it an abomination and those involved in the injustice will be judged by God.  

⁶ Fools’ words get them into constant quarrels; they are asking for a beating.

• A fool naturally wants to argue, bringing on contention with others.  As such, they are inviting trouble to come their way.  While many will ignore a fool, for they, as much as possible, will walk away to avoid a conflict.  All a fool has to do is get into an argument with another fool and a physical fight can break out, causing other problems.

⁷ The mouths of fools are their ruin; they trap themselves with their lips.

• We know that out of the heart the mouth speaks.  The mouth of a fool continuously is on the verge of destruction.  That because he or she lives in constant turmoil - inward and outwardly, as well as spiritually.  Many fools have ruined their lives because of their foolish words.

⁸ Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart.

• Have you noticed how gossip spreads like a wildfire?  Gossip, or tale bearing are words that draw people to listen - they love to hear juicy gossip about other people, but those words when spoken can ruin a person when that gossip turns to slander, which it often does.  Gossip hurts and can damage a person to where is destroys him.  Once spoken, it can never be taken back.  It becomes a wild fire as people love to gossip and spread news on other people.  But oh...do people hate when others gossip about them.  That why God says that no one can tame the tongue (Jms 3:8).
• God continuously tells us to speak out of our mouth things that edify others, not tear them down.

⁹ A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things.

Going back to Proverbs 6, we remember the ant and its ways.  The ant is never lazy, never needs to be told what to do, but just instinctively knows what to do.  In the same way, laziness should not have place in any of our lives.  

• As an person, neglecting chores and needed things to be done by being lazy, brings on neglect and things go to ruin because a lazy person did not keep up with what needed to be done. 
• A lazy employee costs the company a lot of money through laziness because the job takes much longer to do, or it does not get done at all.  As such, things get destroyed and go to ruin.  An employer should never keep a lazy employee, but get rid of them as fast as they can so they don't destroy their company

¹⁰ The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.  ¹¹ The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety.

A fortress or strong tower is a place of refuge - a place to go to when needing safety.  All creatures, human and animal, run to safety in times of need.  The name of the Lord is a strong tower to run to.

• The "name of the Lord" despicts God's character - in all that He is and all that He stands for.  It is the only place in all the Book of Proverbs where it is spoken.  It has the power to protect us from the schemes and wiles of Satan, and we can be sure that His name is a safe refuge for us to run to.  Romans 10:13 tells us that whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  We are saved from God's avenging justice, from the curse of the law, free from sin, and from an eternity in hell. His name is a safe refuge for us at all times. 

• The rich person's wealth is often used as a fortress to depend upon; however, no one should ever trust in riches because wealth comes and goes, and riches are no place to run to in times of trouble.  Wealth may seem to bring a measure of protection, but it can also double cross a person should it be taken away. 

¹² Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor.

• Pride or haughtiness, is spoken about many times throughout the Book of Proverbs as something that God considers an abomination.  People who walk in pride will never change in their ways because they don't think they need to change.  Oh how God hates pride!  We know that pride comes before a fall, pride leads to destruction, and also one who has a haughty heart will one day receive his just destruction (Prov 16:18).
• And, we have also come to learn that God honors and loves a humble person - one who comes to Him with a contrite spirit.  A repentant humble person is open to receiving instruction, which then leads to a person being willing to change as the Lord leads.  
• A humble person trusts in the Lord for everything, acknowledging Him in all affairs of life.  When one is humbly walking down the path of life that God has chosen for him or her, they will live a life that holds peace and joy, as well as it most definitely pleases to the Lord.

¹³ Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.

I once had a neighbor who both the husband and wife would finish your sentence before you were able to finish.  They habitually did this.  It wasn't that they were angry or had passed judgment on what you were saying, it was simply a bad habit they each had developed.  I'm sure that's how they spoke to one another regularly.  I knew their heart, and while it was annoying, I never said anything because it was just a bad habit they each had developed.  That is not what we are talking about here.

• Then do you know of husbands and wives who have been married for a long time, and one of them - usually the wife - would habitually finish the husband's sentence before he had a chance to finish?  I'm sure it was an annoyance between the two of them, but to us listeners, it was really quite comical.  Again, that is not what we are referring to.  

All of us know people who will impulsively spout out without thinking his or her personal opinion, or should I say judgment, even before the person speaking has finished what he or she is attempting to say. This especially happens when someone is angry with the other and judgment has already been passed - when that someone is trying to explain their situation and there is no room for them to explain because the impulsive person angrily interupts with their opinion before he or she finishes.  Not only is this rude, God calls this shameful and the one who does the interrupting is a fool.  In other words, this is a mouth of a fool.

• The remedy?  Keep your mouth closed - bite your lip if you have to, or count inwardly to ten, but allow the other party to finish their explanation before you pass judgment of them.  Again, out of the heart the mouth speaks, so just know you are far better off just listening and inwardly you are planning ahead what you are going to say.  Since we are all called to edify one another, that tells us that our answer must not be harmful, but honorable to ourselves and honorable to the Lord.
• A good answer could be Thank you for telling me, I'll pray about that, or I understand.  Or just a nod of expression that you heard by then patting them on the arm or shoulder says a lot - that you heard, and that you are choosing not to respond.

There is an old saying:  If you want a friend, be a friend.  This is a basic principle of mankind.  We need always to be kind to one another, and you will always have friends.  In life, however, we have only a few friends that will stand by you no matter what.  They have your back in all situations.  That is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

• Our closest friend, however, will always be Jesus Christ.  Even though King Solomon was not referring to Jesus, we as New Covenant believers in Jesus knows that He will never, ever leave us nor forsake us.
  
  
  Hebrews 13:5 ...For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you.  NKJV

   
   
  What a precious promise that Jesus has given us.  He is most definiately a friend that sticks far more closely than even a brother.  What a wonderful God we serve and a good place to end this chapter.

God bless!

Pastor Joyce Erickson
Believersbibleschool.com