Proverbs 9:8 - Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Have you ever had someone mock you to your face? Maybe when you were younger a kid at school liked to make fun of you, or maybe you were the kid who made fun of others. Even in adulthood you may have had someone insult you or say something degrading to you that really stung. How are we to handle such people when these things happen?
Sometimes people respond by becoming defensive, arguing why the scoffer is wrong. When we get defensive we can often take it a step further and begin to retaliate against the person who is insulting us. We start calling them names or picking on them in some terrible way. This kind of response never gets anywhere, and typically encourages more scoffing and mockery in the future.
Some people respond by trying to reason with the scoffer. This can still be a defensive choice, but the goal is to persuade the person why they are wrong to say what they are saying. This seems like it would work, except for the fact that those who mock others can be difficult to reason with because they aren’t reasonable people to begin with. Think of this, what kind of person goes out of their way to insult another human being? Someone is not reasonable, that’s who.
So what then do we do? Defensiveness and retaliation doesn’t typically help. Reasoning with the scoffer may not get us anywhere. Do we just ignore them? In a sense, that’s what this verse is telling us. Any reproof or correction that you would bring to that person is in most cases going to fall on deaf ears. So, if you are being mocked, don’t engage with such a person, just walk away.
However, look at the contrast in this verse. A mocker won’t listen to you, but a wise person will. And because of that wisdom, they will listen to whatever correction you may offer. A mocker puts himself above others and speaks down to them. A wise man humbles himself before others and allows others to speak into his life. What kind of person are you? Are you someone who rejects correction and mocks those who try to help you, or are you someone who desires to be wise and listens to where you may be in error?
Today, look at the example of Christ and walk in that. He was mocked, but did not retaliate. He was falsely accused, but did not respond defensively. He was the perfect example of humility and wisdom in the face of terrible treatment from others, yet he remained mostly silent in his response to these things.
Think also of how you respond to correction from others, and choose the path of humility today, desiring to grow and mature in Christ. Avoid the temptation to respond with the attitude of the scoffer and strive to love those who lovingly bring godly correction your way.
