“Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly.”

There is almost nothing more dangerous than a mother bear aroused to protect her cubs. She becomes fearless and doesn’t care what she is attacking when defending her young. On a list of dangerous encounters in nature, this ranks higher than a shark attack or many other perceived threats from aggressive animals. Over the years, I’ve watched my wife—and more recently, my daughter—respond to someone threatening one of their children. I understand very well the comparison, hence the phrase “mama bear.” It is quite stunning to consider the fullness of Solomon’s meaning here when he tells us it’s preferable to face an attacking mother bear over a foolish person determined to continue in their foolish behavior. Not to be offensive, but there’s a series of jokes called “Redneck Famous Last Words.” A couple of the better-known ones are: “Hey Bubba, hold my beer,” “Hey Bubba, watch this,” or “Where does this red wire go?” The idea of a foolish person doing something dangerous—whether relationally or physically—is not unusual. The idea that we would walk into that foolishness with them, however, is, as Solomon says, even more dangerous than facing that attacking mama bear. Some of the most dangerous foolish behavior today can started by the misuse of alcohol or activities we get invited into on business trips. There’s no shortage of foolish and dangerous behaviors Satan lays before us—and others stand ready to invite us into them. That’s one reason it’s so important to surround yourself with men and women who are like-minded about the things of God’s Kingdom. Today, walk with the wise. #BeTheEdge

“Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’”
1 Corinthians 15:33