Proverbs 1:32

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight into those who reject truth:

Proverbs 1:32 (ESV)

For the simple are killed by their turning away,

and the complacency of fools destroys them;

The first chapter of Proverbs is the thesis statement of this chapter. Solomon list out the very things he is about to tell them. Like a good speaker, Solomon tells us what he is about to tell us for the rest of his speach. He doesn't leave us in the dark. In the above proverb he gives us the insight we need to understand all the rest of the proverbs he will write regarding the fool or the "simply one," or the "naive." Those who refuse to listen to the wisdom described in this book are naive and fools (different degrees of rejecting God's truth, sourced in two different root causes). Their actions (both waywardness and complacency) will be their final destruction. If you have ever meet someone who rejects God's truth you can appreciate the truth of this verse. The complacency they demonstrate is quite vivid. They simply go on in life without thought as to their life, both beginning and end. That complacency will kill them. They do not see the clues God gives them as to how to change their life or why to change their life. They just go about in their waywardness and it will kill them. God may even send difficulty to wake them up. But, once they weather the storm, it is back to complacent behavior. God wants them to see their future destruction. The book was written to outline that for them.  The simple and the fool are not governed by guilt or shame.  They simply ignore truth and therefore the benefits of guilt or shame are lost.