19. Mock the Fool, Save the Man

Saying Nineteen

Proverbs 23:29-35

Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; at the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will utter perverse things. Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying: “They have struck me,  but I was not hurt; they have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?”

Mock the fool, save the man.

Saying Nineteen is another of the Proverbs that, were it to be spoken from the modern-day pulpit, would engender accusations of irresponsible stereotyping. Does Solomon not realise that all of the questions in v29 could be answered with reference to a domestic abuse victim? How dare he generalise so freely! How inconsiderate!

Now, it is true that Solomon is being inconsiderate; he really does not care about the sensibilities of those who cannot handle accurate generalisations, nor appreciate lofty satire. In fact, one can see him mischievously chuckling as he puts ink to parchment, thinking of all the poor souls he would offend. In a way, that is the point of the derision; certain behaviours are worthy of scorn and mockery, and in the right context, should be subjected to it.

Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention; and you neglected all my counsel and were not willing to accept my reproof; I will also laugh at your disaster; I will mock when your dread comes. (Proverbs 1:24-26)

He who sits in the heavens laughs. The Lord mocks them. (Psalm 2:4)

Where were you, [Job], when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you know understanding. (Job 38:4)

If Job himself met the bar for mockery, we can be sure our own foolish habits clear that same bar with ease. The illustration used in the saying can be taken as a stand-in for any number of destructive practices. A man who abuses alcohol, as the text points out, will find himself in possession of all sorts of seemingly inexplicable wounds, both mental and physical. By the same token:

• An aging man who cannot restrain his tongue from the dessert bowl will turn into a human bowling ball.

• A teenager who consistently views porn will find himself plagued with deep sexual degeneracy and relationship issues.

• A young woman who nourishes her mind exclusively on the emotional pea-mash of trite novels and rom-coms will wake up one day with too many cats and wonder what happened.

Did that sting? Consider it the wounds of a friend (Prov 27:6). These are not harmless indulgences. They are corrosive soul destroyers that eat out the heart and eventually manifest in external wounds. When the casualty finally notices that something is wrong, he looks around, bewildered, seeking anything to fill his empty heart. Without the merciful mockery of Saying Nineteen to snap her out of it, she asks “When shall I get home, that I may seek another episode?” (v35).

Saying Nineteen opens our eyes to the root cause of many problems that supposedly have “no explanation”. Do you have terrible posture and back problems? It didn’t just happen. You brought it upon yourself through repeated abuse of your back with bad habits. Perhaps you are the guy with emotional issues, who cannot seem to find a partner. Was this just a genetic roll of the dice? No; it’s because you never left your mother’s basement, never bothered to train your body, never dedicated yourself to learning wisdom, and never put in the effort to develop a skill.

Inexplicable life problems are not inexplicable. They are born from the repeated insemination of bad habits. Cultivate bad habits diligently, and they will bear children in your life with all sorts of deformities. When someone points a shocked finger at the wounds and you say, “I’m not sure how that got there”, you are betraying your ignorance of the ways of wisdom.

Solomon not only provides the diagnosis of these problems, but also one of the most effective cures: mockery. This does not mean that, whenever we observe an individual with a host of unexplained life issues, we should say “hold still” and inject their left ear with a hearty dose of sarcasm. Note that the proverb does not mock the individual to his face. Rather, it mocks an extreme stereotype to which the man can relate. It presents a hellish caricature from which the casualty can flee as they seek to free themselves from the bondage of their sin. They must feel the deep, motivating conviction that “I don’t want to be like that fool”.

In a one-on-one counselling session with an alcoholic, therefore, mockery is not appropriate. From the pulpit, on the other hand, it certainly might be if handled biblically — not underhanded, below-the-belt jabs, but lofty, divine satire. You might paint a picture that resonates with addicts of all types:

Who is single? Who has shifting eyes? Who has self image issues? Who has anxiety seemingly without cause? Who always seems tired? Those who linger long at the screen, those who scroll through endless reels. Do not gaze at the feed when it is fresh, when the flesh glimmers with filters and she moves just right; In the end, she steals your wealth like a thief, and saps your strength like a disease. Your eyes will see women as tools, and your heart will whisper that this is fine. And you will be like one who is filled but never full, or like one who drinks salt water and thirsts again. You will say, ‘She loved me, but I don’t even know her. She caressed me, but I didn’t feel it. Oh well, give me a couple of hours and I’ll try again.’

Saying Nineteen is not a cruel joke; it is an ice bath on a cold morning. It does not laugh to bully; it comes from a God who loves too intensely to leave his children wallowing in the mire of self-inflicted wounds. The sharpness of the satire matches the height of the stakes. If you see yourself in the caricature, then run. Repent. And give thanks that Someone had the mercy to mock before it was too late.

Then, when all is said and done, perhaps you, too, can have a chuckle.

Scriptures for Comparison

Isaiah 5:11-12

Proverbs 1:24-26

Ephesians 5:18

Galatians 6:7-8

Romans 1:21-25

Proverbs 26:11

Titus 2:11-12

Hosea 4:11