In reading Proverbs 15:14 I noticed a most interesting parallel.  If you are familiar with Proverbs, you know that most of the book is composed of verses of wisdom which are presented in the form of parallelism: comparing or contrasting two things as a means of teaching a principle.  For example, Proverbs 15:1 says “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”  Gentle vs. harsh words are the contrasting parallelism here, teaching us to be gentle in our responses to others.

But notice the parallels in 15:14.  It says: “The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on folly.”  There is one parallel between the “knowledge” that the intelligent person seeks, and the “folly” the fool revels in.  But notice also what I think is another very interesting parallel here, between the MIND of the intelligent, and the MOUTH of the fool.  The intelligent person uses his mind; but the foolish person just engages his mouth — there is no mention of his mind being employed!  And he feeds his mouth on the popular “folly” which he may get from his friends or the worldly media, instead of truth, which has its source in the word of God.

This is quite a contrast.  The MIND of the intelligent, vs. the MOUTH of fools.  Most of us have heard the old expression: “Engage the brain before putting the mouth into gear” — and we can each probably picture people we know who have violated that principle.  But let us not look so far from home.  Ask yourself: “What am I characterized by: the intelligence of my MIND, or the folly of my MOUTH?”