Avoiding Foolish Influences

(Prov 17:12 GW) Better to meet a bear robbed of its cubs than a fool carried away with his stupidity.

It seems as though the reference to the ferociousness of a bear was a common one. David was said to be as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs (2nd Sam 17:8). The fury of a bear was (and still is) not something to mess with. In 2nd Kings there is an account of bears mauling 42 children (2:24).

In the U.S. we have the Black bear, Brown bear, and Polar Bear (primarily in Alaska). In Solomon’s time the common bear was “The large brown bear of Syria.” This bear was known to be powerful and dangerous, and like any bear, exceptionally ferocious if you messed with its cubs. A mother bear is especially protective of her cubs and she will do just about anything to get them back.

Solomon wants us to understand how fierce and unmanageable a bear can be when her cubs have been taken. He wants us to get a vivid picture in our minds of the danger posed by the uncontrolled anger of the bear.

He then says that it is better to deal with that – with the brute ferocity of a bear on a rampage – then to deal with a fool that is carried away with his stupidity.

Once a fool gets an idea in his head nothing will stop him. Solomon compares the passion of the fool (hell-bent on their project, no matter how foolish it actually is) with the determination of the bear to get her cubs back.

Have you ever met someone who was dead-set on doing something that EVERYONE around them knew was a mistake? It does not matter how many people attempt to rescue the fool from his folly, if the fool has convinced himself that the “thing” is right, then there is no stopping him. The best thing to do, after the fool has rejected your counsel, is to leave them alone and to pray for them. If you entertain their foolishness long enough, they may be able to convince you (with their zeal) to join them in their foolishness; and believe me they can be very convincing.

The issue here is the issue of influence. If you hang around someone long enough then either you will influence them, or they will influence you, but one way or another influence WILL occur. Back in chapter 13 Solomon said, “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble” (13:20). That is just about as plain as it can be.

So what does this mean to you? It means that sometimes people are going to be convinced that they are doing the right thing, even when it is obvious to everyone else that they are not. Even if the person is completely sincere it does not mean that they are right. You can be sincere and sincerely wrong! If you run into someone who is hell-bent on stupidity, then you MUST avoid his or her influence. If you entertain their foolishness long enough you might find yourself involved in it and then you will have to deal with the consequences. And the end of the day, either you will influence them or they will influence you. So choose your friends, and even your associates, wisely.

Being around the wrong people may be hazardous to your destiny!

Father, I thank You for Your counsel this morning. I realize that being around the wrong people can be dangerous to my future. Therefore, I declare, by faith, that I surround myself with the right people; with people that will build me up and that will help me develop into the person that You desire for me to be. I also thank You for sending me to others, to help influence them in the direction that You want them to go, but if they refuse sound counsel, and if they are hell-bent on doing the wrong things, then I will pray for them from a distance. I will not allow myself to be lured into their foolishness. I have God-vision, I know where I am going, and I refuse to be distracted, derailed, or detoured. I WILL arrive at Your desired destination for my life, because I remain fixed and focused every day! In Jesus’ name. Amen!