The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin (Proverbs 10:8).

The tenth chapter of Proverbs is a clarion call for wise words.  There are all kinds of references to mouths, lips, tongues, words -- and their effect on righteousness and wisdom.  And always, in stark contrast to the good and proper use of words, the lessons are reinforced by the caricature of the "Chattering Fool."  Verse 6 says that violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.  Verse 8 says a chattering fool comes to ruin.  Verse 10 says a chattering fool comes to ruin.  Verse 11 says that violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.  Verse 14 says that the mouth of a fool invites ruin...

The repetition is more than obvious; it's overwhelming.

The Chattering Fool is dangerous, but unfortunately all too common.  I distinctly remember meeting a young man, about a year ago, who perfectly fit the caricature of the Chattering Fool -- and it was a frightening experience that will always haunt me.  Let's call him "California Ryan," for the sake of this story.  He had just moved to Amsterdam, in his early 20s, in an attempt to break his addictions to marijuana and crystal meth (Don't ask why he picked Amsterdam, of all places, to attempt such a recovery!).  He was lean and nervous, like you might expect from a recovering addict.  He had a vague, pencil-thin mustache and always wore a baseball cap.  He talked with a lot of "dude"s and "like"s and other classic Californianisms.  But his most remarkable -- most inescapable characteristic was his incessant chattering.  Seriously, like, the Dude never - stopped - talking.  The problem first presented itself to me while I was preaching at one of our church's weekly worship gatherings.  I asked some kind of rhetorical question -- you know, not really expecting an answer -- and California Ryan immediately shot up his hand and started chattering.  I don't remember what he said, but it was embarrassing and awkward how he went on until I eventually had to interrupt him, regain control of the situation, and continue with my message.  After the service, I made a point to seek him out and get to know his story a little bit, and I found him -- you guessed it -- talking the ear off of one of our small group leaders.  I waited for my moment to jump into the conversation, but it never came.  Eventually I just decided to wait until California Ryan took a breath and then jump in to introduce myself and take some of the heat off of the poor small group leader who had been ambushed.  We talked, I learned some of his story -- but more than anything, I learned that California Ryan had some serious issues, not the least of which was his chattering.

For the next two weeks, California Ryan seemed to overwhelm my life.  He would reappear at worship gatherings each Sunday, and he happened to start coming to our small group's mid-week meeting as well.  And for two weeks, I was treated to a front-row seat to the Ruin of a Chattering Fool.  I watched the ways that other people reacted to California Ryan.  At first, there were attempts to break into his flow and develop a more meaningful conversation -- but when that failed, their eyes glassed over, their faces slackened, and they mentally checked out of the conversation.  After awhile longer, it got to the point of eyes rolling and audible gasps at California Ryan's lack of regard for others in conversation.  And still later, men started getting worked up to the point of confrontation; women went for more evasive tactics, deliberately cutting into conversation and redirecting.  It was horribly fascinating -- or fascinatingly horrible -- to witness the broad path of ruin wrought by California Ryan and his incessant chattering.  After two weeks, I had seen enough and decided that I needed to act decisively.  After a particularly difficult small group meeting, I pulled California Ryan aside and told him that he needed to shut up and listen.  I told him that his conversational dynamics were toxic to our group's discussion.  He wasn't listening well (or at all).  He was harming himself and others in the process.  I told him that he was welcome to be a part of our church, in spite of his imperfections -- but he would have to find an off-valve for his mouth, or things would never work out.  As you might be able to imagine, this conversation / confrontation itself was challenging and awkward.  But we ended on a positive note, with an agreement to work on things further and a handshake.

Yet after that conversation, I never saw California Ryan again.  He simply disappeared.  Maybe he decided that his chattering was more important to him than our church community.  Maybe he ran into legal or medical problems.  Maybe he simply followed the winds elsewhere.  But I have to admit (even though it may not sound very pastorly) that I was glad that he never came back.  He really did seem to play the role of the Proverbs' "Chattering Fool" -- and the accompanying ruin was more than I could bear, for myself or for our church community.  I wish California Ryan well, wherever he may be, but I for one am quite glad that the "wherever he may be" is not here with me!