“He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him…The first one to plead his cause seems right, until his neighbor comes and examines him” (Proverbs 18:13, 17).
The second proverb provides one reason why rash reactions are foolish: Appearances and first impressions can be inaccurate and/or deceiving. Experience in dealing with people confirms the fact that almost everyone has a personal bias that will impact his recounting of a previous event.
In his report to the prophet Samuel about his divinely authorized conquest of the Amalekites, King Saul declared, “I have performed the commandment of the Lord” (1 Sam. 15:13). Yet, his declaration was accompanied by a chorus of bleating sheep and lowing oxen (1 Sam. 15:14). Saul’s claim of having obeyed God’s command to “go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey” (1 Sam. 15:3) fell apart when Samuel examined it.
Solomon practiced what he counseled. When two mothers of infants had a dispute over which of them had lost her baby in the night, what folly and shame he would have had if he had ruled on the matter after hearing only one woman’s side. He let both women speak her peace before issuing a verdict which enabled him to discern which woman was the mother with a living baby (1 Kings 3:16-27). He did not make a decision until he had head from all the parties involved. Because of this, truth was discerned and a mother and her son were reunited.
Rash responses and rash decisions increase the amount of folly and shame you have in your world.
