Proverbs 15:14

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 about the mind of the wise and the mouth of the fool:

Proverbs 15:14 (NASBStr)

The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge,

But the mouth of fools feeds on folly.

Proverbs 15:14 (ESV)

The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,

but the mouths of fools feed on folly.

The contrast here in this proverb is between the mind of the wise and the mouth of the fool.   Such a contrast is consistent throughout Proverbs.   Solomon is well aware of this contrast.  It is possibly at the core of each proverb he has penned.   The wise man has a different disposition than the fool.   The fool is predisposed to feed on folly.  They are the first to commit to juvenile urges.   The fool seeks folly.  Or, as put here, he feeds on folly.   His hunger is for the taste of folly.   Like a newborn's search for milk, the fool has a natural craving for folly and all that comes with it.   But the wise person, the one who is thoughtful about God, will seek out more and more knowledge.   Our carvings ought to demonstrate to us the type of taste buds we possess.   The wise man should naturally crave the things of God (His Word, His blessing, His voice, His ways).   The wise person is not captivated by the shinny things of this world because his eye is the eye of God and he, therefore, looks for the eternal.   As Christ told us, we should set our mind on the heavenly things, not the earthly things.  Wise people continue to be wise because they put wise things into their minds.  Fools will continue to be fools because they crave and eat foolish things.