We are drowning in opinions.
Having an opinion isn’t the issue. After all, God gave us minds and voices for a reason. But Proverbs presses deeper: do we speak to understand, or just to be heard?
Scroll through X or Facebook, tune in to cable news, or just sit in on a casual conversation long enough, and you’ll see it: everyone has something to say, but few care to understand.
This isn’t just a cultural trend anymore. It’s a spiritual sickness. Proverbs 18:2 names it for what it is: foolishness.
Proverbs 18:2—“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.”
That verse seems to be describing modern society well.
And what’s truly amazing is that Proverbs 18:2 was written nearly 3,000 years ago. Long before smartphones, social media, or pundit panels, this warning was in place. It’s uncanny how accurately it captures today’s society.
Although technology is new, the human heart is not. We haven’t grown out of this kind of nonsense. It’s still here and thriving.
That should humble us. And in a strange way, it should also awaken us: God knows us. The Bible isn’t outdated, it’s devastatingly accurate.
Pastor John preached on Proverbs 18:20-21, about the power of words to shape minds and lives.
“Every word I speak is a seed; I choose to plant life.”
That was the reflection he left us with for the week.
Those themes felt familiar. I have explored similar territory in Proverbs 10, where I talk about how words, even small ones, wield unseen power, how a single sentence can strengthen a person’s resolve or plant the seed of their downfall.
And again in Proverbs 15, where I asked myself, “Who am I becoming, with each word I choose to speak? “
But while Pastor John focused on how words build or destroy, I had hoped that when we got to Proverbs 18, we would spend some time on an earlier verse in the chapter, Proverbs 18:2. It’s a short line, but it smacked me with how relevant it is for today’s culture.
You see, I’ve been working on a longer piece, a bit different from my usual style, tracing what the Bible says about the fool using the Logos Bible Software to follow it through Scripture.
During my research, Proverbs 18:2 really stuck out to me. It offers a snapshot of the fool’s mindset.
“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding…”
That’s the root issue. The fool enters every room with self-importance. They already know what needs to be said, and they assume they’re the one to say it.
“…but only in expressing his opinion.”
It’s not even about truth. It’s about attention. The fool doesn’t want to understand, they want to be heard. And sadly, we live in a world that rewards that. Platforms have been built around this impulse. As long as it’s loud, witty, or dramatic, it gets traction even if it’s completely untethered from wisdom.
The wise person, on the other hand, asks questions. They pause before reacting. They know even their strongest opinions might be wrong. They want to understand more than they want to impress.
But that won’t tickle the algorithm. Listening rarely drives clicks. Humility doesn’t trend. So what’s our alternative in this attention economy? We need only look to our greatest example.
When I look at Jesus, I see someone who was known for asking questions. Questions that invited people to think, to see. In a world quick to speak, He slowed people down with truth that came wrapped in a question. Someone who spoke with grace and truth.
Jesus didn’t throw his words like a brick. He planted them like seeds through presence, patience, and prayerful intention.
Though I started by highlighting verse 2 instead of Pastor John’s focus on verses 20-21, the themes ultimately converge. After all, Proverbs 18:20-21 tells us:
Proverbs 18:20–21—“From the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach is satisfied; he is satisfied by the yield of his lips. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”
Fools speak for attention. The wise speak to plant. And as Proverbs says, their words produce fruit—words can feed the soul or poison it, give life or bring harm, and we live with what we’ve spoken.
We live in a time when being loud is often mistaken for being wise. When having a platform seems more important than having a clue. Hot takes get rewarded. Listening gets skipped. Dialogue becomes a competition to dominate, not a chance to understand.
This isn’t just annoying. It’s dangerous.
When the fool is elevated, communities suffer. Relationships break down. Churches divide. Nations fray at the seams.
Why?
Because fools don’t want to learn. They want the attention. They don’t ask questions. They lecture. And in doing so, they trade wisdom for applause, understanding for ego.
But the way of Christ is different. It’s deeply countercultural.
The way of Jesus is slow to speak, quick to listen, and always hungry for truth even when it’s humbling. That’s the example we’re meant to follow.
We are to be people who seek understanding, not just speak our minds.
Final Thought:
Every word is a seed. We’re scattering them in a world drowning in opinions, where attention is king. It’s tempting to join the fray but that’s a hollow path and it’s a betrayal of the wisdom we’re called to pursue.
The fool craves an audience, not truth. Yet wisdom, the kind Jesus modeled, doesn’t clamor for attention. It plants patiently and transforms deeply.
So stop.
Listen.
Wrestle with what’s true, even when it humbles you.
In a culture unraveling under the weight of its own words, choosing to speak with care is no small act. The seeds you sow now will either nurture souls or choke them. Choose well.
Let me know what you think.