PROVERBS 28:11 ~ The rich are wise in their own eyes; one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.

Generally I dislike the NIV. But for this Proverb it’s perfect.

If there is one thing that I have learned, it is that rich men can be the most boring people on Earth to talk to.

Why? Because many only want to talk about themselves. They can think that they are the smartest and most interesting people in the world.

They – but certainly not all – can think their understanding of all subjects is immense because their bank accounts are immense. After all, their intelligence produced riches, and if they have more money than you, they should talk more than you.

And you should listen… about ALL things.

Now, I would not denigrate a man’s intelligence or abilities that allowed him to achieve the objective of amassing wealth. I’m not that stupid or petty. Frankly, I can listen to them for hours on this subject. I have.

And I would continue to listen so as to learn what I can. Indeed, those who have achieved wealth on their own do have interesting things to say. They do have skills to teach. There is a time to listen, especially if the moment dictates that listening is a way to render the respect and even love Christ commands us to render unto our neighbors.

Nonetheless, there do come points where I must walk away. There do come points where I see how self-indulgent the words of a rich man can be. Their ego becomes narcissism. By convincing others they are great, they convince themselves they are great. Many don’t realize they are doing this, but I realize they are doing this. Solomon agreed.

It is especially nauseating when they talk about subjects that they have no understanding of, but think they do because they watched a documentary on the History Channel.

The simple fact of the matter is that the world is a complex place, and even the poor can read books – and sometimes a lot of books – and have a far superior understanding of many subjects that the rich man thinks he has mastered.

Again, Solomon would agree.

Indeed, because we as sinners seek self-worth outside of God’s glory, the false understanding of our beings called the ego seeks worth by projecting understanding it does not in fact possess. We all do this. I certainly do.

Yet, I also know that because I do this that it is thus incumbent upon me to humble myself as often as possible, and silence my tongue for the sake discerning the knowledge and wisdom of another soul talking, so that I may learn or listen or love or all three.

Though this is not always the most pleasant practice, I do thank Almighty God for reading the Proverbs which taught me this most fundamental trait of humanity decades ago.

I do wish more understood this. I do think rich men need to be reminded of this most. After all, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. I understand these words not as a condemnation of wealth itself but rather a condemnation of the worship of money and thus self that, obviously, many rich men fall victim to.

You ain’t as great as you think you are. You sure as hell ain’t as intelligent on subjects that many minds far greater than yours have written enduring books on.

Thinking otherwise makes unwise. It also makes you just plain boring.