1. Path of Wisdom vs. Companionship of Fools Proverbs 13:20

2. Reject or Accept Counsel?  Proverbs 12:15  Proverbs 1:22  Proverbs 15:5  Proverbs 16:22  Proverbs 23:9  Proverbs 17:10, 24  Proverbs 28:26 Wisdom requires accepting counsel Proverbs 10:8 Proverbs 11:14 Proverbs 15:22 Proverbs 24:6 Proverbs 20:18

3. Folly Tends to Evil, Not Wisdom  Proverbs 10:23  Proverbs 13:19  Sin originates from foolishness –Sins of the tongue (Prov. 10:18) –Deceit (Prov. 14:8) –Attitudes & actions of strife (Prov. 20:3) –Sins of the flesh (Prov. 5:7f; 6:20f; ch. 7)  Proverbs 14:16

4. Folly Brings Shame, Not Honor  Proverbs 3:35  Proverbs 14:24  Proverbs 26:1  Speech of the fool betrays him –Proverbs 18:2 –Proverbs 15:2 –Proverbs 12:23  Proverbs 13:16

5. How Do We Deal With Fools?  Proverbs 26:4 - Avoid Them Totally –“Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.”  Proverbs 26:5 - Expose Their Folly –“Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.”  Point is that wisdom must be used to distinguish which admonition applies