“Wisdom is too high for a fool; he opens not his mouth in the gate [where the city’s rulers sit in judgment]” (PV 24:7)

Can you identify a foolish man? Your life, health, peace and prosperity depend on your answer to this question, because foolishness is infectious. “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed”

The word ‘wisdom’ means the skill to daily apply the knowledge of the scriptures in practical living. It also means to be a teacher. In other words, the wisdom from above is never ‘just enough’. It is an overflow of prudence and discernment until the believer becomes a teacher to others who are in need. Divine wisdom is the reward of the fellowship between your soul and the Wonderful Counselor, who is Jesus, our Lord. This wisdom is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. The opposite of wisdom is foolishness, manifested as works of the flesh, impurity, polluted mind, quarrels, selfish ambition, rebellion, pride, wickedness, spiritual bareness; pride, partiality and hypocrisy (James 3)

The word ‘high’ in the above scripture means promotion. For a fool, his promotion is a curse and it ends in disgrace. His private mistakes become public. Most of the time a fool talks too much; his tongue has no restrain. ‘A chattering fool comes to ruin…Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool…’ (PV 3:35; 10:10; 13:20; 17:7). To chatter means to speak non-stop about non-sense. A ‘promoted’ fool becomes a busy-body, interested in nonessentials, while neglecting his own home. A fool is talkative but he becomes dumb when serious spiritual matters are discussed, things of destiny and strategy of life! There is a particular spiritual place where a fool suddenly becomes silent and that is ‘the gate of the city’. If you are tired of the non-stop chatter of a fool, then bring him to ‘the gate’ and you will have peace. The change is dramatic. He has nothing important to add to the discussion. He looks lost, afraid and confused. Suddenly the fool looks like a fool and he cannot hide it.

In The Old Testament the gate was a very important place of the city. It was connected with the public square were the court was held. A judge was someone known as ‘standing in the gate’. The elders and the council of the judges gather to examine and try all legal cases. The most important matters concerning the city were discussed publicly at the gate. For example, Lot was ‘sitting at the gateway’ possibly serving as a judge in Sodom. That is how he met the Angels of the Lord coming for judgment. Boaz settled his marriage to Ruth at the city gate .David was at the city gate when he gave the last instructions to the army about Absalom. That is the same place where he was told that his son died. Mordecai was at the city gate when he discovered the plot against the king.

A woman of God should not marry an unbeliever or a fool. If need be, her prayers will change a frog into a prince. A virtuous woman’s husband ‘is respected at the city gate where he takes his seat among the elders of the land’ (PV 31:23).

In Christ I declare:

I move on from ‘the gossip- gutter’ of foolishness unto the wisdom of the gate!

I possess the gate of my enemies! (Gen 24:60).

My life, marriage and testimony glorify the One who says: ‘I am the Gate for the Sheep!’ (Jn 10:7).

All glory to God!

In Jesus name,

Amen!