Old Dogs And New Tricks Series

Proverbs by their very nature are often paradoxical, and they often

seem to contradict one another. They only do so, however, if we take them

as absolutes which are true in every case. If we take them as stating a

truth of a segment of reality, and not all of reality, we will see there are no

contradictions. This will come up in our study of inspired proverbs as

well, but for now let me give you an example from manmade proverbs.

Aeschylus, the ancient Greek, said, "It is always in season for an old man

to learn." A more modern saying is, "You cant' teach an old dog new

tricks." They appear to be contradictory, but they can both be true if we

apply them to what we know of human life.

We know that once a pattern of life has been established an older

person often resists any change. He is content with his pattern of life and

has no desire to adjust to new way of thought or action. It is when one

meets such persons and finds it impossible to alter their pattern one iota

that he goes away quoting the proverb, "You can't teach an old dog new

tricks." It fits the facts of life, and so it is true, but a thing can be true and

not be the truth. If you make it an absolute truth and apply it to all people

you ignore other facts of life. History is filled with examples of old people

who have broken out of the ruts of the past and become pioneers of new

ideas. The facts of life prove the proverb true that you are never to old to

learn.

John Stuart Blackie says that the Scottish people have a reputation of

being prudent and of having foresight because of their custom of printing

the book of Proverbs in a separate volume so that farmers and

workingmen can carry them in their pocket and read while they rest.

They believed that old dogs could learn new tricks, and they took

deliberate steps to teach them. This is the attitude of Solomon as well, and

we see this brought out in the sixth purpose for the writing of the

Proverbs.

In verse 5 he says, "A wise man will hear and increase learning." He

had just referred to the young men, and now he goes on to say that the

older men can and will go on in their learning by the reading of these

proverbs. They are not only for youth, but for people of all ages because

God knows that old dogs can still learn new tricks. A wise man is one who

has learned to use his knowledge for the glory of God, but he is well aware

of his lack of knowledge. He wants to know more because the more he

knows the more he has to use in serving God.

It is only the ignorant and the superficially educated who think they

know all they need to know, the wise man is well aware of how little he

knows. Someone said, "Knowing is largely a means of discovering the

vastness of one's ignorance." The truly educated man is one who is never

embarrassed by a new idea. He knows that there are thousands of ideas he

has never heard. Many times I have heard Christians say, "I never heard

of that before." They imply that it cannot be valid if they have never

heard of it. This verse tells us that it is God's will that we go on and

increase in learning, and never be content with our present status. Depth

is to be our goal. There is a well-known proverb that is the first line to a

longer poem written by Pope that expresses this point well, that

shallowness leads to folly, but depth will lead to a life pleasing to God and

appealing to man.

A little learning is a dangerous thing;

Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring,

There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,

And drinking largely sobers us again.

Shallowness always leads to folly, but depth, when it is directed by

wisdom, will lead to a life pleasing to God and appealing to man. Very

seldom is a truly wise man proud. He is humbled because he knows so well

how little he really knows. Paul is a good example, for his pattern of life

and philosophy had already been established, and yet, by the grace of God,

he learned some new tricks. His life was changed, and he became the

greatest theologian in Christianity. Right to the end he kept studying and

learning, and God could use him to impart His Word to the world. Who

else but a man of Paul's depth could write letters that would be used of