Proverbs 10:8,  The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.

As is the usual case in God’s proverbs here in verse 8 He presents a contrast between that which he approves and that which He does not approve.

The contrast is between that of receiving and that of giving.

There is an old saying that it is better to give than to receive.

But in most sayings there are exceptions to the rule and in this case we find that exception, for in our proverb we are told the opposite, that it is better to receive than it is to give.

So it depends upon what is being given and what is being received as to their respective values.

In the case of this proverb, commandments are being received and words are being given.

In this proverb, hearing is engaged, that is the receiving, but in contrast many words are being spoken, that is the giving.

We are given to consider two characters: One is wise in heart and one is a prating fool.

By these descriptions it is easy to know which one is approved of God and which one is not.

But men and women do not come with labels hung across their chests saying in which group they belong, so God gives us indicators, which in reality, are better than bold signs across the chest.

When we see a person who receives commandments this is the sign that God gives us to show us a person who is wise in heart.

Now in contrast to the wise in heart we are to give our attention to a prating fool.

His or her label is readily apparent for instead of receiving, this person is always giving, but it is not the good kind of giving, for it is the giving of many, many, many, many, words.

There are no commandments involved with this person for he or she never uses the space bar in his or her sentences in which to insert commandments.

Now the indicator of one who is wise in heart is that a person like this will receive commandments.

His or her ears are always open in contrast to the fool whose mouth is always open.

The wise in heart receives instruction from all who are authorized or qualified to give it.

He or she does not buck up in pride but meekly receives the instruction of parents and teachers and supervisors and all those in lawful authority.

For in doing this they obey God who is the author of all authority.

The writer of this proverb refers to the heart for the heart is the seat of the real you.

The wise in heart are truly wise for wisdom dwells in the heart.

The wise in heart are teachable.

Oh, how preachers and teachers covet students who are teachable.

The wise in heart have ears to hear and can be reached with truth.

The wise in heart are always looking for more light, for they desire a brighter path.

Throughout the scriptures we are given glimpses of the wise in heart for when commandments came down from heaven they were quick to obey.

Hebrews 11:8-10,  By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Even as a little boy Samuel was of the wise in heart for in 1 Sam 3:10,  the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

Remember the wise in heart on the road to Emmaus to whom Jesus expounded the scriptures.

They exclaimed to the disciples:

Their hearts burned to receive instruction from the Lord for that is where wisdom dwells.

The wise in heart desire to be taught by teachers and preachers in order that their light will be brighter before men.

We have looked at the receiver, the wise in heart, now we will look at the transmitter who is described as a prating fool.

Now this word "prating" is from the word prate.

We do not hear much of this word in our culture, perhaps because there is a lot of prating going on but not much is said about it, for to say almost anything negative is politically incorrect.

But the Bible says much about it and in this case it says the prating fool shall fall.

To prate is to talk too much about things that have no weight, or to talk too much on things of little purpose.

It is extended talk of the trifling, extended talk of the trivial.

Another word for "prate" is "loquacious" which means to run on and on and on and on and on.

It is the kind of talk that puts the listener into a trance over time, a trance which only allows the head at times to nod affirmatively.

The prater has no understanding of the wisdom of shutting his or her mouth when the only response from the other person is the nodding of the head one way or the other without any accompanying words.

These nods of course makes absolutely no difference to the prater who continues to encourage the dreamlike stupor by feeding it with word upon word and line upon line.

The prater has little or no listening skills.

He is not like the wise owl that we can read about in this quatrain:

The prater is definitely not like the owl for he or she learns little, being only a transmitter and rarely a receiver.

The prater is occupied with shallowness and is satisfied only with the transmitting side of broadcasting.

He or she falls into the group of men or women who know little but say much and are void of the group of men or women who know much but say little.

In their quest to keep their mouth exercised they forget that there is also a need to keep the ear exercised in listening and if not exercised the ears will soon lose their purpose.

There is a saying about this also:  Listen or thy tongue will keep thee deaf.

Loquacity or prating reveals a person who is vain and full of foolishness.

Vain for desiring to listen only to him or her self.

And within the speaking of many vain words there are also spoken many sinful words for which he or she must give an account.

Speaking many words also will result in proud and boasting words, senseless words, hateful words, provoking words, words that will definitely bring much trouble.

My wife has a plaque with these words of wisdom inscribed thereon:  The closed mouth gathers no foot.

I’m not sure to whom that message is addressed in our home.

Hopefully it is simply addressed in general, but I’m sure all of us at times need to be reminded that we have or are falling into the clutches of the prater.

But the prater pays no attention to such a message, being too busy with an open mouth and sooner or later that mouth will be chewing on his own foot.

He or she will have what is called foot in mouth disease.

His or her undisciplined tongue will cause a great fall.

How many times have we regretted what has come out of our mouth?

But it is so true that the more our mouth is open the more opportunity it has to issue forth that which will come back to us bringing shame and regret.

We are never too mature or adult or sanctified to forget this song that we teach our children:

O be careful little mouth what you say

O be careful little mouth what you say

There's a Father up above

And He's looking down in love

So, be careful little mouth what you say