Scorn Not Lest Ye Be Scorned

(Proverbs 9:8 KJV)  Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

I feel a need to turn this one around.  I don’t want to take away from what it says, I want to look at how this might hit home.  I usually look at this as if I am the reprover.  You know, the spiritual giant that is helping others get their lives together.  What does this say to me if I am the “scorner” (scoffer NASB) (3917b) ? 

I have a wife with the gift of exhortation.  Exhortation is a two sided gift.  If can mean to encourage.  Most people like that side.  It also is a Greek word meaning “hit them up on the side of the head if they need it.”  That, of course, is a loose translation, but you get the idea.  My wife has frequent cause to “reprove” (3198) me.  That should be okay but I pretty much reject what she has to say.  If I wasn’t one before the reproof, I become a scoffer after the reproof.  When I should be listening I begin to question her motives and wisdom.  Instead of reflection and repentance I go into bunker mode and even lash out.  I am gifted at scorn.  Not good.

This is where times of worship and prayer become so important.  It is at times like this that the Holy Spirit is able to take me to task.  I am reminded of the teachings of Proverbs about being slow to answer and listening.  A frequent message I get is “Listen.”  I hope I am growing in this area.

So?  Are you resistant to being corrected.  Join the club.  Pray that the Holy Spirit would help you to benefit from the reproof that comes your way.  It would be nice to think it will never be needed but even Pollyanna had her bad days.