Solomon’s loving admonition to his sons goes deeper than just a list of what to do and what not to do. Verses 23 through 28 shift from foolish behavior to the source of such foolishness. While foolish living is manifested through behaviors such as laziness, nosiness, gossiping, fighting, and deceiving, the root of these things is hatred. Verse 25 reveals that such hatred can be “covered up” by foolishness, but at the end of the day, such a fool harbors hatred in his heart.
Disobedience to God and sins against others manifest from a heart that is unloving toward God and man. You may not think that you hate God or hate someone when you sin, but the Bible says otherwise. Foolish living is a manifestation of hatred toward God, his truth, and his people. A proper understanding of the love of God will remedy this sinful tendency in our lives.
