Don't Be A Birdbrain

Perhaps you have heard the expression; perhaps you have used it: "You are such a birdbrain."

Most everyone understands this expression. Even with some rather interesting research on the intelligence of certain kinds of birds, we recognize that, in general, birds have small heads, so they have small brains. So, we tend to equate the small brains to stupidity. Our generation was not the first.

Solomon observed:

   Indeed, it is useless to spread the net

   In the eyes of any bird.

   --Proverbs 1:17

A translation of the same verse from the Tanakh, a modern Jewish translation of the Old Testament, seems a little clearer.

   In the eyes of every winged creature

   The outspread net means nothing.

   --Proverbs 1:17 (Tanakh)

The simple idea is that a net is spread in full view of a bird, yet the bird is so stupid, it is still caught in the net. It cannot understand the danger of the net; the net means nothing. The wise Solomon was using this illustration to warn his son against running with friends who were involved in evil things. Those involved in evil are no better off than the birds.

But they [those who run to evil]  lie in wait for their own blood; 

They ambush their own lives.

--Proverbs 1:18

The evil person has the stupidity of a bird. He might even take stupidity to its extreme: He is not only caught in a trap that he can see, he set the trap for himself through his pursuit of evil! This is the crowning jewel of stupidity; the pinnacle of stupidity; stupidity's most glorious moment, shining as bright as the sun!

The Book of Proverbs was written for the purpose of keeping people from the 'birdbrained' stupidity of self-entrapment by their involvement in evil. Don't pass over the word 'evil' as some sort of abstract gray haze. Evil has many faces: disrespect toward parents, lying, cheating, laziness, anger, lust, pornography, disobedience, fighting (with fists or words), gossip, intoxication (drugs or alcohol), dishonesty, pride, chasing money, hatred, jealousy, intentionally being unfair (unjust), sexual sin, and so on....

Avoid evil.

Avoid those who do evil things.
Don't be a 'birdbrain.'