Breath Wasting

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

We tend to think of wisdom as a noun, something that is spoken.  Sometimes it is just that.  Wisdom is wisdom no matter who speaks it but there are times when wisdom is wasted.  There are times when we should not be wisdoming.  There are times when we are not to give others the benefit of eternal truth.  Those times are defined by their character, not the truth.

I guess this verse could be rephrased as “don’t waste your breath on people who will not listen.”  Here it refers to correcting people.  It might also apply in witnessing or explaining.  Part of our wisdom is recognizing people who are not interested.  I know the times I have watched people’s eyes glaze over when I move into spiritual things.  That tells me this is not the time.

So?  Timing is important.  That word to the wise might need to wait until wisdom is present.