(Prov 26:4 NLT) Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are.
This morning we cotinue our series entitled, “Unlocking the Power of Proverbs – Walking in the Wisdom of God.” I am sure we have all met people who love to argue; who find a level of enjoyment from stating a point, building a case, and attempting to counter every counterargument. I personally don’t mind a certain level of ‘mental jousting.’ I don’t see anyting wrong with using your mind to carefully think through an argument, to carry it out to it’s logical conclusion, and to then attempt to articulate those thoughts in a way that can be easily understood. I belive this actually helps keep us mentally sharp. Having the ability to thoughtfully and carefully defend your points-of-view and recommendations is important. I am sure Solomon was not averse to a good argument. Solomon was the wisest man in the world.
The Bible says: “Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than any other man… He spoke 3000 proverbs and his songs numbered 1005… Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.” No, Solomon was not afraid of a having to defend his position on things. But as this proverb explains, he was against wasting his time with foolish arguments. The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: “Don’t respond to the stupidity of a fool; you’ll only look foolish yourself.” If Solomon, the wisest man in the land, took the time to answer a fool with a foolish argument, then he would be stooping downt he level of the fool and he would actually be validating the fool and his foolishness.
So what does this mean to you today? It means that when you answer the foolish questions of a fool:
- You validate the fool and their foolishness.
- You stoop down to their level.
- You run the risk of tainting your own good name.
- You run the risk of wasting one of your most valuable resources – TIME.
- You waste good energy on a fruitless endeavor.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for the mental and spiritual ability You have blessed me with. I declare, by faith, that I have the ability to understand an issue, establish a position, build a case, formulate an argument, and present it in a way that can be easily understood, received, and embraced. I am able to persuade others to see the value of my thoughts and positions. My mind is quick, sharp, and agile. And along with my intellect, You have blessed me to be able to hear from Your Spirit. I have the blessed benefit of coupling revelation with information, and your grace gives me an advantage in my daily affairs. I value Your grace so much that I will not waste it on fools or their foolishness. I am led of Your Spirit in all things and I only engage in those discussions that will be fruitful and beneficial. Thank You Father for helping me to know which questions to answer and which ones to ignore. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!
