The Book of Proverbs teaches us a great deal about scorners. A scorner is one who mocks another. He will often resort to insults when confronted with the facts of argument. Either he is unable to comprehend the truth he is presented with and responds with frivolous attacks, or he does not like the truth he is presented with and thus turns to scoffing.
“Scorners think they know everything, and anybody who tries to teach them is only wasting time. “Proud and haughty scorner [scoffer] is his name” (21: 24). Scorners can’t find wisdom even if they seek for it (14: 6), because learning God’s truth demands a humble mind and an obedient will. What scorners lack in knowledge they make up for in arrogance. Instead of sensibly discussing a matter with those who could teach them, they only sneer at truth and deny it. My Hebrew lexicons describe them as “frivolous and impudent.” Having no intellectual or spiritual ammunition, the scorner depends on ridicule and contempt to fight his enemies. Scorners show how ignorant they are by the way they respond to advice and reproof. “He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself.… Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you” (9: 7–8 NKJV). “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke” (13: 1 NKJV). “A scoffer does not love one who corrects him, nor will he go to the wise” (15: 12 NKJV). When you try to teach a scorner, you’re just casting pearls before swine. The scorner knows everything! The tragedy is that scorners cause all kinds of trouble wherever they go. Whether in the neighborhood, on the job, or in the church, the scorner is toxic and spreads infection. “Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease” (22: 10). Scorners can even create problems for a whole city. “Mockers [scorners] stir up a city, but wise men turn away anger” (29: 8 NIV). The Hebrew verb translated “stir up” conveys the image of somebody stirring up a fire or blowing on a flame to make it burn more vigorously. By their contemptible words and attitudes, they add fuel to a fire that ought to be allowed to die out….“Scoffers are “an abomination to men” (Prov. 24: 9) and to God. In fact, the Lord “scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble” (3: 34 NKJV). This verse is quoted both by James (4: 6) and Peter (1 Peter 5: 5). “Judgments are prepared for scoffers” (Prov. 19: 29), and because scorners mock God, God mocks the scorners.” (Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Skillful (Proverbs): God’s Guidebook to Wise Living, 89-90 (Kindle Edition); Colorado Springs, CO; David C. Cook)
It is better to develop an attitude of humility and seek to learn and follow the will of the Lord then to have the contemptuous character of a scorner.
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