Proverbs 1:31. therefore [the fool] shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices.
We’ve said that wisdom is skill in navigating the complexities of life. Wisdom is principles, knowledge, and discernment that lets us be good at living. Of course there is no living without the fear of God. Why not? Because God is the author and creator of all of life and all the principles that make life livable.
One of the most important life lessons is that we reap what we sow. Or to say it another way, we eat the fruit of our way. Today’s proverb is a warning. The fool eats their own fruit. They are full of their own devices. In other words, choices have consequences, don’t they? We all understand that. But the fool actually thinks that the consequences of their foolish ways are good, tasty, delightful, desirable.
The wise person does something foolish, experiences the consequences as suffering, and then works hard to never repeat that same mistake.
The fool does something foolish, but sees their foolishness as good or at least harmless. The womanizer has a casual liaison and believes that it’s all just sex. The gossip is popular and therefore believes there is no harm done. The angry man is justified in his anger. The controlling woman has to make sure things get done. These fools are eating their own rotten fruit and believing it to be healthy.
In the New Testament it says that the worst punishment God can give us is to let us do whatever we want. He gives us up. He lets us eat our rotten fruit. He lets us have our fill of our own devices.
Romans 1:24. Therefore God gave them up in the desires of their hearts.
Make no mistake, God will let the sons and daughters that he loves experience the consequences of their ways. Often these are natural consequences. There are consequences to our casual sex outside marriage. There are consequences to gossip, anger, and controlling behavior. Sometimes God will let us keep going down a sinful path until our lives get so bad we have no other choice but to turn back to him. When God does this it’s because he loves us, and he wants us to see just how destructive our sin is.
But remember, when your life is connected to Christ’s you have a brand new heart full of brand new desires. Because Jesus loves us, we will desire by the Spirit to love God and love others in return. Yes, we can still be fools who get sucked into our sin. But that sin, that fruit, will always taste rotten to someone who is united to Christ.
You: How are you actively experiencing the consequences of your foolishness?
You in Christ: In Christ, we can reverse course on a foolish path at any moment. We are never too far gone. Where might you need to make a U-turn today?
Christ in you: Are you finding that your sinful choices are growing less and less satisfying?
Pray: Father, I don’t want to be a fool. Help me make good choices that show I trust you. Amen.
To Live is Christ 