Proverbs 10:13-14
13Wise words come from the lips of people with understanding, but those lacking sense will be beaten with a rod.
The most vivid modern-life scenario I can think of this verse is high school. Thinking back, I can remember some teenagers who had maturity. They asked questions in class, read outside of school work, or did community service of their own volition. They were students whose worlds did not focus on their own personal advancement; they had a better understanding of the world around them and usually sought out more insight than they already had.
Then there were other teenagers who couldn’t care less about wisdom if they tried. They did just enough school work to get by or never listened to the perspectives of others, and they certainly didn’t make the wisest of choices.
Students who possessed understanding were the ones whose words counted. Maybe they said little in class, but when they did make a comment, everyone’s ears perked up and heard what was said. People who lived in foolishness at some point suffered consequences of their lack of wisdom. They submitted themselves to the equivalent of a beating by a rod—embarrassment and pain.
14 Wise people treasure knowledge but the babbling of a fool invites disaster.
I expected this dynamic of the wise and foolish dwelling together to disappear into adulthood. Surely with age, everyone would become understanding of each other. This is not the case, however. With every new arena of life comes a fresh crop of people who love wisdom mixed in with those who do not dare seek understanding. Proverbs nudges us again and again to treasure, value, crave knowledge and understanding in order to be truly wise. If we do not, our words will be considered those of a babbling fool.