“A scoffer does not love one who corrects him, nor will he go to the wise…He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, and he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself. Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you” (Proverbs 15:12; 9:7-8).
Good stewardship of your precious time requires you to not waste it on fruitless activities. Jesus graphically described it as casting your pearls before swine (Mat. 7:6). A hog is so focused on feeding its belly that it is completely unable to discern or appreciate the value of pearls. As the proverbs above so clearly demonstrate, a scoffer is an excellent example of this spiritual breed.
Attempting to correct a scoffer is casting your pearls before swine, because:
- You will be wasting your breath. A scoffer has no appetite for divine knowledge or self-improvement.
- You will be deeply offending him. He will resent the implicit idea that he needs to improve, that you could be helpful if such was actually necessary, and/or that divine truth is of any practical value in this matter. He will hate you for believing such.
- He will retaliate. Just as a hungry hog becomes surly and provoke when given something it finds unpalatable, a scoffer will retaliate with endless ridicule, scorn, and hatred.
A scoffer is the antithesis of a wise person.
