- Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice. For he went from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. -
People need the ability to see and speak in generalities about the world. Treating everything as a single, nuanced “thing” is too time consuming.
The Bible does this in many regards, telling us to not to kill, respect our parents, and honor the grey headed.
But, it then seems to argue the opposite. God tells the people of Israel to fight wars, Jesus says leave your family and follow me, and Paul tells Timothy to let no man despise his youth.
What is the lesson here? Is the Bible full of contradictions?
When we speak about the truth, we like to see it as firm and unshaking, like the foundation to a building or the bones in our body.
What people don’t know? Foundations are made to “give” and bones are composed of flexible and rigid substances.
What’s the point? The truth is firm and nuanced. “It’s always wrong to kill, except in self-defense.”
In our verse above, we see one of these nuanced truths put on display. The old king is a fool who can’t take advice.
The boy sitting in prison? He might be poor, but he is full of wisdom. That is not what we typically see or should expect.
When I was young, my grandfather used to take me out to eat just about every month. Throughout the meal, he would always be correcting me or teaching me something.
“Hunter, sit up straight. Don’t talk with your mouth full. You’re not pronouncing that word right.”
Why did he fill our dinner with these pestering rebukes? He was reinforcing the lessons my parents were teaching me. He spoke to me with a love for my future.
He couldn’t let me make childish mistakes if he loved me. He knew one day that all these “pointless” reminders would pay dividends in my career, family, and happiness.
He taught me how to listen.
Our verse points directly to Joseph. What did Joseph do? Did he cry out to God bemoaning his fate in prison? Did he say woe is me?
Maybe, but not for long. He got to work, fixing the place up and even becoming known as an interpreter of dreams.
Then Pharoah called upon him and he became the second greatest man in all of Egypt.
So, what nuanced truth are we seeing here? Age doesn’t appear to be the only ingredient in wisdom.
Those who lose the ability to hear advice have become so concerned of being taken advantage of that they can no longer trust.
Why?
Because they have lived their lives always looking for the angle, always trying to get the better deal, always wanting the upper hand.
They believe all men to be concerned with this goal and believe it is the game of power that set them upon their throne.
They forget that positions of power are given to serve others. The wisest among us know it is better to give than it is to receive.
If you wish to be wise, love your neighbor as yourself.
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