The Worst Personality Trait

Proverbs 30 describes one of the worst kinds of people. And I share this post with great concern that many people seem to have no problem adopting the very attitude described here:

Proverbs 30:11–14 (ESV) There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers. 12 There are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth. 13 There are those—how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift! 14 There are those whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among mankind.

Four basic realities about them are recorded:

1. They curse their parents. The very people who raised them and sacrificed for them are regarded as nothing. To be sure, some parents act terribly, but all parents are to be honored in spite of those mistakes. Being a parent is something you can only understand when you've done it. To curse them is to curse what you do not understand. 

2. They believe they are always right. This is the meaning of verse 12, being, "clean in their own eyes". These are the people who can be told NOTHING that doesn't affirm them in their own beliefs. They reject confrontation or correction. They do not submit to authority and to not consider ways in which they may need to change. 

3. They are proud. Perhaps this is the underlying reality. Pride is the root of who they are. And it is surfaced in how they look - lofty eyes and lifted eyelids.

4. They are vicious in their words. They speak in ways that destroy and devour. They have no mercy. 

Contrasted with these people in Proverbs 30 are four small things on Earth that live with great wisdom. 

Proverbs 30:24–28 (ESV) Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise: 25 the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer; 26 the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs; 27 the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank; 28 the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.

Wisdom is found in those who seem small but live large. 

Ants live large by thinking and planning ahead for the times when food is lacking. 

The rock badgers know they are weak so they find shelter in the strength of cliffs. 

The locusts do not have leaders but work together. 

The lizard is small and seemingly insignificant but can be found in high places of society. 

The point? The way of wisdom never centers on self. They aren't busy focused on who they think they are they are focused on what they need to do. They don't presume strength, they find places of security. They don't jockey for position, they seek cooperation. And though you may overlook them, God can place them in the halls of power. But it begins with humility. Putting yourself in perspective and living in submission to God to be used by Him.