“Like an archer who wounds everyone is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.” Proverbs 26:10
Devotional Thought For The Day
This is an amusing proverb – the “archer who wounds everyone.” This is the person who cannot aim properly, who cannot execute an accurate shot, who is careless and dangerous to others with a weapon in his hand. Even his friends and comrades in arms wish that he was elsewhere, and would agree that he needs to be disarmed.
We would think that the point of comparison would be to the fool or drunkard. Instead, the focus goes to the person who “hires” a fool. The fool or drunkard is a thoughtless dolt, little more than the arrow. It is the responsible person, the one running the house, business, or ship and who is undiscerning and indiscriminate in his hiring who is likened to the loose cannon. This proverb comes back to roost a little closer to our homes. We are held responsible for our actions in hiring others, or bringing others into our social circles, if those people end up harming or damaging others. It is as if we ourselves inflicted the harm and damage. Even today our laws reflect this same principle, that employers are liable for the damages that their employees inflict on others.
In that all human beings are fallible and susceptible to making mistakes, we have to understand that there is a continuum of “foolishness,” and that we all have a good bit of it. How many times have you had to kick yourself and exclaim, “Now why did I do that?” The “fool” doesn’t have this reaction – he either doesn’t know or doesn’t care, and he doesn’t learn from his mistakes and turn away from his wickedness or carelessness. He just continues on hurting and harming others and himself. To make a mistake can be quite serious, but we can always repent and learn. To refuse to repent and to learn from our errors, this is inexcusable and a plunge into darkness.
The same is true within the life of the church. We are all fallen sinners, in the same boat as the apostle Paul who wrote: “The good that I would do, I do not; and the evil that I would not do, that I do.” However, Christians repent of their sins – still wishing to do good, and abhorred with their evil. They turn to Christ for forgiveness and cleansing, and pray for strength and wisdom to do what is good and to avoid what is evil. Not the fool. He refuses to repent, considers the evil that he does to be good, and considers what is truly good something to be avoided and obstructed. He is a sharp and damaging weapon – and so the Scripture instructs us to admonish and then to remove those who prove to be impenitent. Those who refuse to do so are like those who “hire” a passing fool – they are responsible for the damages done to others and for the demise of the church.
Thankfully, God Himself watches over us and helps us in all times of danger, healing the damage caused by the fools we are exposed to. In that all human beings sin and fall short of the glory of God, there really is no “safe” place in this world where we will never be hurt. However, it is our responsibility not only to watch out for ourselves, that we not harm others, but also to take great care in all matters over which we have authority, so that others are not exposed to danger and harm because of the foolishness of our “hires.” And we should be ready and eager to step in and take care of others when they are being wounded by fools, to defend them and nurture them back to health and strength – and to remove the one doing the harm and damage. May God forgive us when we fail to do this, and may He protect others in spite of our malfeasance and carelessness. But we have been warned by this proverb as to who is accountable, and encouraged to do what is right and responsible in regard to protecting others. Wisdom is required, the wisdom provided by God’s Word.
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, often it is difficult to discern when the evil and animosity of others is “foolish,” unrepented of. The harm and pain is not difficult to discern – and we all suffer some of it. Grant us wisdom as we seek to do what is good and to protect others from the harm of fools. Grant us also the courage to step in and do what is truly good and right and loving toward the innocent, especially when we are in positions of responsibility and authority. Thus preserve, protect, and bless Your church, Your people of faith. Amen.