It’s amazing how often my Bible study lands me in a passage that speaks to something I’ve been pondering or have noticed in surrounding culture. Since my First5 app doesn’t have a specific lesson for Sundays, I read Psalms and Proverbs based on the date, so last week included some gems from Proverbs 29:
“If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet” (v. 9, ESV). “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back” (v. 11).
The spewing of opinions on social media, especially during the current election season, illustrates these verses provides; I’ve even witnessed some in-person arguments between people on different sides of the immigration/border issues, several Missouri ballot questions regarding proposed amendments, and more. It would seem those verses advise simply walking away from situations, perhaps along with 26:4: “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.” Why waste time with people who have no interest in civil discourse, or in mutual sharing where one or both might learn something?
But, then, there’s 26:5: “Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.” This column has previously addressed that seeming contradiction, with the answer seemingly found in the slightly different original language, translated “according to” in most English versions of both verses. No, it’s not good to engage in argument on the level of a fool—someone who says there is no God, someone who refuses to accept any level of moral restraint, or often, who has not actually researched what they’re attempting to argue about. Most scholars agree v.4 is a warning not to lower ourselves to that level.
On the other hand, v.5 speaks of a well-thought out, informed answer identifying gaps in logic or research and putting the fool’s argument in its place, hopefully preventing others from being deceived, and possibly even causing the fool to recognize his error. The key is to listen to the Holy Spirit for discernment about which response applies to the situation.
One more gem from chapter 29 is v.18: “Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.” How do people get that prophetic vision? Often, it’s by someone speaking. In the Bible, God’s messages were given by Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles and evangelists. That hasn’t changed—God is still using powerful preaching and teaching today!
In such tumultuous times, pastors and missionaries and evangelists bear a heavy responsibility to communicate both God’s love and his justice, so hearers can make wise decisions in keeping with God’s law about personal and national issues. But Christians interacting in jobs, businesses, and yes, even on social media can also influence those decisions by what they speak.
As individual Christians, we can pray for our pastors and community leaders to hear from God and communicate vision. We can also pray for discernment from the Holy Spirit to answer with wisdom in our personal interactions, as we confront fallacies and point people to the one true Way, not just to achieve good policy in our communities and nation but to receive God’s gift of eternal life.
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