A Thorn in the Hand Is Not Worth Two in the Bush

(Proverbs 26:9 KJV)  As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

Have you ever been around people who quote scripture like some people knock on wood?  It has become a habit that is done without thinking.  I was in a Sunday School class recently where the teacher would make a comment and several people would quote a couple of verses.  Okay, but I wondered if they had gone beyond memorization to meditation.  Had they really thought about what those verses mean or were they just quoting what they had heard quoted?  I don’t know.

The Bible, and Proverbs, were not designed as a club for beating people or a manual on winning debates.  It is the words of God written down for us to consult so that the Holy Spirit can have another way to speak to us.  “Fools” (3684) generally have not thought about what they are quoting.  Fools have not listened to what the Holy Spirit has to say.

A thorn in the hand?  At best the situation is one of uselessness.  At worst it can do real damage.

So?  Be careful how you quote scripture.  Spend some time thinking deeply about it, meditating.  Seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in what it means and then trust that you can use it well.