“A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

  and a rod for the back of fools.”

Proverbs 26:3

The whip, the bridle, and the rod are three things used to control or guide something. I find it interesting that the fool is mentioned in the same illustration as two animals with no note of distinction.

This is particularly interesting to me because in Genesis much is made of the distinction between man and all other created beings. For example, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Gen 1:27). Man is made in the image of God.

I’m confident that God doesn’t look at fools as animals, but I wonder if in this verse he is suggesting that the fool behaves as an animal rather than living on the level of a human who has been made in God’s image.

 ^“The devising of folly is sin,

   and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.”

Proverbs 24:9

Here, the writer reminds us, that the heart matters. Scheming folly is sin. There is no plausible deniability for the person who thinks out the plan; he can’t say, “But I didn’t actually do it. I just thought about it.” Jesus addressed this matter of the heart this way: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart'” (Matthew 5:27-28).

Here are some verses they may be helpful for this topic:

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” (Prov. 4:23)

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

“As water reflects the face, so the heart reflects the person.” (Prov. 27:19)

“… to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)

“Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist.

When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.”

Proverbs 23:4-5 ESV

The warning here is not to avoid wealth. Neither is it to not work hard. The warning is to not make wealth our goal in life; gaining wisdom should be our life goal.

There are at least two reasons for this priority:

1. Wisdom is greater than wealth. (Proverbs 8:11, 22:1)
2. Wealth is fleeting. (Proverbs 23:5)

Remember: A fool with great wealth, is still a fool.