Reflections: Am I wasting time with scoffers?

Unless you’re one of the few (lucky?) people who manage to totally avoid being online or hearing news, it’s been hard to miss the commentary on President Trump’s first few weeks in office, particularly with regard to his actions aimed at increasing efficiency and identifying and eliminating waste in government agencies and programs. 

I have to say I appreciate his efforts; if my husband and I can keep records, make difficult decisions, and stay within our income (thank you, Dave Ramsey), we want our elected officials to do the same with our tax dollars. But the public outcry, particularly on social media, serves as yet another illustration of concepts found in the book of Proverbs. 

Proverbs chapter 9 says that when we rebuke a scoffer, that person will hate or even harm us; on the other hand, a wise man will accept rebuke or instruction to increase their learning (v. 7-8). Nowhere is this more evident than on social media. Sometimes I can’t resist responding to someone’s comment to point a glaring lack of logic or a detail they’re missing, and I usually regret it; I can practically feel the vitriol spewing out of my computer as people respond with accusations of “Trumpaholic,” “stupid religious,” or worse. Occasionally, and unfortunately less often, there are actually situations that reflect the “wise person” part of the scripture passage, when a civil discussion ensues that one or both parties can learn from. Both on social media and in person, I’ve been trying to depend on the Holy Spirit for guidance as to whether someone is genuinely open to discussion or whether it’s wise to enter a conversation. 

I think Jesus reinforced this concept in the Sermon on the Mount, telling his followers not to “cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you to pieces” (Matthew 7:6, NKJV). Jesus knew there would always be some people more interested in their own agenda than in sincere discourse leading to correction, or to the Gospel. By allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us, we can identify the person described in Proverbs 9:9: “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” We might sometimes need to be that person ourselves! 

Verse 10 goes on to tell us how to identify, or become, that wise person: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Our closest and most encouraging relationships should be with other Christian believers, a good reason to be involved in a faith community or Bible study group. Then we can obey the Great Commission to share the gospel, using discernment from the Holy Spirit to determine when to speak up among those who desperately need to hear.