These passages contain three Proverbs: The first Proverb says, “A scoffer does not love one who reproves him, he will not go to the wise.” A scoffer is a person who rejects God’s Truth. Such a person ridicules the Word of God as being a fantasy and irrelevant to today’s world. Such a person is not comfortable in the presence of those who believe the Word of God to be truth. Therefore, they will avoid such people. They do not want to be told that their path is wrong and will lead to destruction. Unfortunately, avoiding God’s Truth will not shield them from accountability for following a sinful path.
The second Proverb says, “A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.” A joyful heart is the result of believing in God and Jesus Christ. When one believes in Jesus, God gives them His Holy Spirit to dwell within them. When this happens the person will have the fruits of the Holy Spirit in their life. One of those fruits is joy. A joyful heart will help a person through difficult times. A joyful heart will give a person hope for the future. Additionally, a joyful heart gives a person a cheerful expression on their face, indicating God’s Holy Spirit within them.
The third Proverb says, “The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on folly.” The world defines an intelligent person as one who does well in school. However, a truly intelligent person is one who believes in God and seeks to understand God’s Truth. Such a person will gain knowledge that is far more valuable than intellectual pursuits.
A fool, on the other hand, is one who rejects God and refuses to live by God’s Word. As a result, their knowledge is worthless folly. Their knowledge will not benefit them in this world. Nor will it benefit them after they die.
