Proverbs 17:10-12 (ESV)
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion,
and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs
rather than a fool in his folly.
Instead of gossiping, the godly woman will confront a wrongdoer. The wise one in error will listen and receive correction. But the foolish will not respond to good counsel; in fact, even extreme measures fail to generate repentance within the fool. The evil woman is determined to do things her way, bowing her heart before none. But God’s angel will one day settle the score. The Syrian Brown Bear could be found in the forests of ancient Israel. When the female bear had her cubs with her, she was fierce, doing whatever she could to protect her offspring. It would be idiotic to challenge the mother bear that had just been robbed of her cubs. In the same way, the fool becomes enraged when she doesn’t get her way. This impulsive person is unstable and will gladly bring down an entire community to prove her point. Don’t become foolish by failing to control your anger.