Proverbs 14:18

Proverbs 14:18 "The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge."

Simplicity and prudence are two of Solomon's most passionately used rivals.  He knew that simplicity of mind, as it pertains to matters of morality, is not just a matter of ignorance but of laziness.  He was keenly aware that simple souls cling to simplicity because it's easier to be simple than to try to understand the complexities of spirituality and theology.  He knew that the simple didn't just lack understanding - they preferred to be without understanding.  In Proverbs 1:22, he wrote from the perspective of Wisdom and asked, "How long, ye simple ones, will ye LOVE simplicity?"  

Simplicity in the Book of Proverbs has little to do with intellect or intelligence; it has more to do with the will and spiritual ambition.  We are all born simple and we will all remain simple if we lack the spiritual ambition to figure out the spiritual realm.  The simple only become prudent when there is an appetite for understanding.  The simple only become prudent when there is true interest in learning.  We only become prudent when there is a willingness to discover the answers to life's deepest questions.  Confronting the reason for evil in our world and in our souls can be overwhelming.  Considering the reality of moral failure and immoral intention in the lives of men can be intimidating.  Investigating the soul of man and our responsibility to our Creator can be frightening.  To the simple, it's too much to sort out.  It’s too complex to figure out.  To the simple, the answers seem to too hard to find.  Our world is full of intelligent people who choose to remain simple because they don't want to learn the uncomfortable truths about man, God and eternity.  Our world is full of educated people who choose to remain spiritually-simple because they don't want to put in the amount of thought necessary to figure out how virtue and vise are connected.  Even our churches are full of competent people who have chosen to remain simple in their understanding of the spiritual dimension because they don't want to subject the mind to the exertion required to get to the bottom of truth.

The problem with choosing to remain simple is not just missing out on understanding, wisdom and prudence.  It's not just going through life without truth or sound answers to real questions.  The problem with choosing to remain simple is that it puts you in the unfortunate position to receive something you don't want.  Choosing to be ignorant of spiritual truth puts a person in line to inherit someone else's folly just as choosing to be ignorant of medical truth puts a person in line to inherit someone else's sickness.  If a person chooses to be ignorant of certain illnesses that are spread through saliva, that person will drink from the same cup of an infected person and unknowingly inherit their infection.  The problem with being simple is less about committing folly and more about inheriting folly.  It is less about causing trouble and more about falling into trouble.  It is less about initiating evil and more about attracting evil.  The young simple man in Proverbs 7 wasn't looking for moral trouble but because he chose to remain ignorant of the evil in certain people in certain places at certain times, moral trouble found him.  He inherited a woman's folly by being simple just as a man inherits a father's wealth by being his son.

The rivals in this proverb experience the same phenomenon - they receive something by someone else.  An inheritance is not earned; it's received.  An inheritance is given, not taken.  Similarly, being crowned is an event that is done to a person, not by that person.  A person doesn't crown himself.  A person doesn't crown himself any more than a person seizes his inheritance.  Both a crown and an inheritance are given by someone else at a time and in way that that other person chooses.  The emphasis of this proverb is the truth that our virtue determines the type of person we attract.  Simple people attract the type of person that is full of folly while prudent people attract the type of person that is full of knowledge.  The simple attract fools and sinners because they see the simple as opportunities to share their folly.  The prudent don't attract fools and sinners because they know that the prudent are too sensible to party, gamble and act childish or immoral.  The prudent aren't any fun so they're not attractive to the fornicator, thief or drunkard.  Those type of people won't share their folly with the prudent any more than the rich father will share his estate with strangers not named son or daughter.  Fools won't share their folly with people who have spiritual understanding because they don't want to hear about how unwise or how ungodly their folly is.  The simple in their simplicity aren't aware of it but as long as they remain simple, they're listed in the moral will of fools and at some point, will inherit their folly.

The prudent, however, will attract those who have put the effort in to forsake moral simplicity.  Men and women who have given great thought to spirituality, theology and truth recognize others who have done the same.  They flock to prudent people with the same interest fools flock to the simple.  Spiritually-knowledgeable souls long to share their knowledge with those who are eager to learn.  Spiritually-learned people love to teach others what they have learned.  The prudent are attractive to the wise.  Prudent people are seen by the wise as worthy recipients of spiritual instruction.  Like a king crowning a prince who has proven himself worthy of that crown, the wise imparts knowledge to the prudent who has proven himself worthy of that information.  Just as the fool sees the simple soul as someone who won't reject, waste or misuse their folly, the wise see the prudent soul as someone who won't reject, waste or misuse their knowledge.

 Spiritual ignorance is not a state or a consequence as much as it is a choice.  Our level of spiritual understanding is a choice and it is far more consequential than we think.  If we choose to remain simple and ignorant, we will attract a group of people that will bring with them folly that they will give us, whether we want it or not - it's like a terrible inheritance of massive debt.  If we choose to pursue truth and spiritual understanding, we will attract a much better group of people that will bring them knowledge that they will give us, whether we ask for it or not - it's like a beautiful crown that identifies us as wise.

Who we choose to be determines who chooses to be with us.  It's just that simple.