Proverbs 10:23

Proverbs 10:23 (BSB) The fool delights in shameful conduct, but a man of understanding has wisdom

Proverbs 10:23 (NKJV) To do evil is like sport to a fool, But a man of understanding has wisdom.

Proverbs 10:23 (NIV) A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes, but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.

Proverbs 10:23 (MES) An empty-head thinks mischief is fun, but a mindful person relishes wisdom.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
The fool - לִ֭כְסִיל (kesil, liḵ·sîl) - Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 3684: Stupid fellow, dullard, fool

delights - כִּשְׂח֣וֹק (sechoq, kiś·ḥō·wq) - Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 7814: Laughter, derision, sport

in shameful - זִמָּ֑ה (zimmah, zim·māh) - Noun - feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew 2154: A plan, device, wickedness
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew English Lexicon adds: wickedness in action

This proverb says that a fool, or a stupid person, enjoys sinful behavior and sees it as a game. He/she doesn't realize they are playing with fire, literally. Because the end of sin is complete destruction here and eternal fire for eternity.

They have no fear of God, or of judgment, because they are spiritually blind. They reject Jesus Christ and make their own choices. And sin becomes a joke to them. They laugh until they find themselves in misery and bondage to it.

Netflix has released an original comedy series called INSATIABLE in which Patty decides to enter beauty pageants after losing a lot of weight, so she can “reinvent” herself and shut down her critics who bullied her when she was overweight. In the seventh episode called “Miss Magic Jesus Pageant,” a choir of women in white choir robes and bling sashes dance while singing disgusting lyrics like “Spirit please ride me,” while mimicking lasso motions with their hands. They continue, “Oh Jesus You fill me in every single way…”

They think it's funny to mock Jesus.

Rapper Namewee came out with a music video entitled "Oh My God". The video features four men dressed as Jesus Christ, fifth century Buddhist monk Xuan Zang, a Taoist priest and a gun-toting man wearing a white robe and headgear. The video starts with the "azan" (call for prayer), a church choir and the ringing of Buddhist meditation gongs, as well as Hindu temple bells. He loosely uses faith-oriented terms, such as "Namo Amitabha," (referencing means boundless light and infinite life in Buddhism), "Hallelujah," "Om Mani Padme Hum" and "Allah".

They think it's funny to mock Jesus.

A Portuguese-language Christmas special on Netflix, “The First Temptation of Christ,” tells the story of Jesus returning home from the desert for his 30th birthday, in a highly satirical format. He arrives with a flamboyant gay male companion, Orlando, who makes direct innuendos that he and Christ are gay lovers.

They think it's funny to mock Jesus.

Comic Kathy Griffin, at the 59th annual Creative Arts Emmy Awards held recently, was honored for having the Outstanding Reality Program. "I guess hell froze over," Griffin announced. "A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this. He had nothing to do with this. ... Suck it, Jesus! This award is my god now."

They think it's funny to mock Jesus.

They make it into a game. They are deliberately trying to go as far as they can with their filth and then, when someone calls them on it, they reply, "It was only a joke". Sinners (and we all were sinners until we found Jesus Christ) want to sin and they don't want the consequences of sin. They want their "cake" and "eat it too". And, heaven forbid, anyone should suggest that judgment is coming and they are facing eternal damnation for their rejection of Jesus Christ who came to save them from their sins. Then they want to say, "A good God wouldn't send people to hell." Ummmm.... He didn't. You send yourself there. He provided the way of escape but if you reject His Way through His Son, Jesus Christ, you have made your own choice.

I am not trying to be self righteous here for we all are born sinners and we all sin. I was just as much a sinner as anyone else. I was damned to hell just like every other human being. But God knew we couldn't save ourselves and He loved us enough to send His only Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die for us in order to save us. Thank God for salvation and forgiveness. Thank God for His mercy and grace. Thank God He sent the Holy Spirit to open blind eyes and open deaf ears to see and hear the truth.

I am blessed to have heard the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ at my parents' knees. I was brought up on the stories of the Bible and going to church. I was taught how to pray by my parents. My extended family were Christians. When I was 8 years old I felt the Holy Spirit calling me to be saved and baptized. It was a big deal in my life when I went forward and when I was baptized. But if I had rejected that first calling, I could have died a sinner. We reach an age of accountability. I.e. we've heard the Holy Spirit calling to us and we know we have a choice. The Holy Spirit would have continued trying to call me, knocking on the door of my heart. But if I reject His call my heart would have hardened a little more each time until I no longer heard His call. The Holy Spirit never quits trying to reach us but we choose to accept or reject Him each time. If we reject, our hearts harden. I praise God that I accepted the first time I heard the call!!! That doesn't mean I no longer sin. But it means I am saved from my sins and I will spend eternity in Heaven! Jesus forgives, cleanses us and clothes us with HIS righteousness. Because of what He did on the cross, we can have a relationship with God! We can be His children! But no matter where you are in life, you can stop right now and accept Jesus as your Savior.

It's not funny. It's not something to mock, ridicule and make light of. It is godly wisdom. A wise person will hold godly wisdom precious, more valuable than gold.

Fools laugh and brag about their sexual exploits. Fools think it's a game to rob a man or woman of their virginity. Fools play drinking games until they are drunk while fools laugh and jeer them on. They think it's funny to get a girl drunk and take advantage of her. People who play eating games to see how much they can eat while crowds cheer and laugh as they gobble the food or eat enough to throw up. It's gluttony! They like to make a game of stealing and shoplifting to get a rush if they get away with it. People like to lie and manipulate others and then laugh behind their backs. They push, push, push others to follow them in their sins until the person gives in. They mock, ridicule, bully, call names until the person is worn down and gives in. Then they clap them on the back, roar in approval and welcome them to the sinner's circle as though it were some kind of cozy club. Gangs don't let you in until you prove you are just as evil as they are! Girls and boys think it's funny to bully and make fun of someone else; to ridicule and target someone to make their lives a living hell. Then they gossip and text back forth, laughing up their sleeves as though someone's misery is a joke to them.

Psalm 10 (NLT) 1 O LORD, why do you stand so far away?
Why do you hide when I am in trouble?
2 The wicked arrogantly hunt down the poor.
Let them be caught in the evil they plan for others.
3 For they brag about their evil desires;
they praise the greedy and curse the LORD.
4 The wicked are too proud to seek God.
They seem to think that God is dead.
5 Yet they succeed in everything they do.
They do not see your punishment awaiting them.
They sneer at all their enemies.
6 They think, “Nothing bad will ever happen to us!
We will be free of trouble forever!”
7 Their mouths are full of cursing, lies, and threats.
Trouble and evil are on the tips of their tongues.
8 They lurk in ambush in the villages,
waiting to murder innocent people.
They are always searching for helpless victims.
9 Like lions crouched in hiding,
they wait to pounce on the helpless.
Like hunters they capture the helpless
and drag them away in nets.
10 Their helpless victims are crushed;
they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.
11 The wicked think, “God isn’t watching us!
He has closed his eyes and won’t even see what we do!”
12 Arise, O LORD!
Punish the wicked, O God!
Do not ignore the helpless!
13 Why do the wicked get away with despising God?
They think, “God will never call us to account.”
14 But you see the trouble and grief they cause.
You take note of it and punish them.
The helpless put their trust in you.
You defend the orphans.
15 Break the arms of these wicked, evil people!
Go after them until the last one is destroyed.
16 The LORD is king forever and ever!
The godless nations will vanish from the land.
17 LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless.
Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.
18 You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed,
so mere people can no longer terrify them.

Psalm 36 (NLT) 1 Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts.
They have no fear of God at all.
2 In their blind conceit,
they cannot see how wicked they really are.
3 Everything they say is crooked and deceitful.
They refuse to act wisely or do good.
4 They lie awake at night, hatching sinful plots.
Their actions are never good.
They make no attempt to turn from evil.
5 Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.
6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your justice like the ocean depths.
You care for people and animals alike, O LORD.
7 How precious is your unfailing love, O God!
All humanity finds shelter
in the shadow of your wings.
8 You feed them from the abundance of your own house,
letting them drink from your river of delights.
9 For you are the fountain of life,
the light by which we see.
10 Pour out your unfailing love on those who love you;
give justice to those with honest hearts.
11 Don’t let the proud trample me
or the wicked push me around.
12 Look! Those who do evil have fallen!
They are thrown down, never to rise again.

• Can you think of someone who "delights in shameful conduct"? Journal about it.
• Can you think of someone who thinks "evil is like sport"? Journal about it.
• Can you think of someone who "finds pleasure in wicked schemes"? Journal about it.
• Can you think of someone who thinks "thinks mischief is fun"? Journal about it.
• The Psalmist in Psalm 10 and 36 begin by expressing their feelings. They feel like God is allowing the wicked to get away with their sin. God extends mercy to sinners and gives them time to repent. Some will and some won't. Meanwhile, those of us who are saved are wondering what's going on? But the Psalmist comes back to trusting in God by the end of their prayers. We can express our true feelings to God, but we also must bring ourselves back around to trusting in His almighty love, goodness, justice and power! Have you ever felt this way? Try praying through these psalms.

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