Poetry – Proverbs 22

We have read the book of Proverbs for quite a number of months now.  Four kinds of characters are often seen in this book.  Do you know who are they?

The Simple, the Fool, the Scoffer and the Wise.

We are going to focus our attention on one of them today but before that, let’s look at…

Bible Passage:  Proverbs 22

We have talked quite a fair bit about the fool and wise in previous postings on Proverbs.  And the character that I will focus on today is found in Proverbs 22:10…

Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave;
Yes, strife and reproach will cease.

Yes!  We are going to talk about the scoffer.  If we were to do a search of the Bible, we will find that there are few mentions of the scoffer outside the book of Proverbs.  And none of the references of the scoffer is found in a positive sense.

This might not be surprising as at the word ‘scoffer’, we immediately think about a mocker who shows contempt.  But in an increasingly confusing world and society today, I do find that increasingly, scoffers are being lauded.  Many people hang onto their counter-intuitive views.  These people are called the self-assured, the cynics, the realist, the skeptics or even the independent thinker.

Elder Chen RS mentioned in his lessons during the RE Teachers Retreat that he loves it when members point out his shortcomings.  He prefers that to praises.

I was wondering… how many of us will actually welcome it?

What happens when someone comes up to you and tells you directly something you have done wrong or something you could have done better?

Do you inwardly feel indignant and secretly hate the person who dared to correct us?

“What do you know?”, we say.  “It’s my life and I did not ask you for your advice!”.

Sadly, we are often too willing to criticise others.  And many a times, we do so in an angry dismissive way.

But we hate the notion of others correcting us!

The Scoffer in Proverbs

When I actually started searching, I was quite amazed to find so many passages in Proverbs that mentions the scoffer.  As you read these verses, you will begin to form a picture in your mind what a scoffer is and why we are warned from being one…

Prov 1:22
“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?

Prov 9:7
Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.

Prov 9:8
Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

Prov 13:1
A wise son hears his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

Prov 14:6
A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.

Prov 15:12
A scoffer does not like to be reproved; he will not go to the wise.

Prov 19:25
Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.

Prov 19:29
Condemnation is ready for scoffers, and beating for the backs of fools.

Prov 21:11
When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise; when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.

Prov 21:24
“Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man who acts with arrogant pride.

Prov 22:10
Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarrelling and abuse will cease.

Prov 24:9
The devising of folly is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.

Prov 29:8
Scoffers set a city aflame, but the wise turn away wrath.

Not a very nice picture isn’t it?

And did some people come to mind as you were reading the verses?  I know for me, some did.

I just could not help it as there are some people who always seem to be negative about what is happening.  They are like wet blanket or simply “pooh pooh” every idea or actvity you are doing.

But instead of thinking about other people, I find myself challenging myself with this question…

Am I a Scoffer – Even If It is Just a Little Bit?

Before I go further, I want to say that if we recognize oursleves as scoffers – all is not lost because we can still change.  From the Bible, we recognize what we are and God, through the Holy Spirit, will help us do so.  But it begins first by we scoffers understanding that we cannot go on living this way.

I believe that God also sends our friends – people that we can trust enough to be honest and frank with us – to show us where we have strayed.  In fact, I want to adopt Elder Chen’s attitude right now and ask that from now on, please tell me what do you see in me that I ought to think about changing.

If you have been following this Bible Reading blog, you would have known that I have writing since the start of this year.  Last week, a sister asked me a question that set me thinking quite a fair bit as I was reading and preparing today’s passage.  She asked with words to this effect, “When you write, are you imposing your opinions on others?”

Frankly, I have never ever thought of this question before.  I write in this blog to share my impressions and what I feel are lessons for me and maybe you.

But as I read these verses in proverbs about scoffers again today, I fear that we could easily switch the word “scoffer” for the word “writer”.

I am not suggesting that the writers are scoffers or anything like that.  But we must be responsible for what we write.  Just imagine if I were to rewrite some of these verses as….

“Writers set a city aflame,” or…

“…. a writer doesn’t listen to a rebuke,” or

“whoever corrects a writer gets himself abuse,” or… dare I say it -

“Writer is the name of the arrogant haughty man who acts with arrogant pride.”

I do not say this to rebuke other writers — I am only too well aware of these tendencies in myself and am writing this as a personal encouragement.

We have seen how irresponsible writers set a city aflame.  Some journalists have used the print media to promote their cause … and in turn create civil unrest. Even in the local newspapers, we have writers who write out about certain conroversial issues that stir up public cries and split public opinions.

The power of the pen (or keyboard) is far reaching and can have a great impact on the readers. We can write about anything and about how we feel about things.

But we must be able to accept rebukes or encouragement when what we write is not appropriate or acceptable.  And when others attempt to correct us, we cannot abuse them and accuse them of knowing nothing.  And certainly, we cannot behave arrogantly and think that only our views are right.

But the writers are not the only ones who have to consider if they are like the scoffers.  All of us should also seriously consider it for in 2 Peter 3:3-4, Peter said,

“Knowing this  first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?  For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.’”

We are warned that scoffers will begin to arise against the truth in the last days.  And this attitude may be expressed in words or in behavior.

Why do scoffers scoff?  Peter says it is because they walk according to their own lusts.  They are self-indulgent, self-seeking, and self-exalting.  They have no interest in receiving God’s word as their code of conduct and practice.  They have cast off restraint and are defiant when rebuked or corrected.  They have reasoned away the truth so as to approve of their attitudes and sinful behaviour.  Rather than be judged by the word of God and to repent of their sin, they mock and belittle the truth.  Peter warns us of the increase of scoffers so that we might not be surprised or shaken when it occurs.

In fact, the target of Peter’s warning seems toward religious scoffers for they say:  “Where is the promise of His coming?  For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” These scoffers were not pagans or evolutionists! They believed in God, but discounted the relevance of God’s word to their own lives.  Because the church has failed to identify, expose, and deal with the sin of scoffing, many are unaware of its influence in their lives.

Peter admonishes us in verses 17-18, “You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, BEWARE lest YOU ALSO fall from your own steadfastness, being LED AWAY with the error of the wicked.  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Each of us has been tempted to sit in the seat of the scoffer at one time or other.  But those who choose to walk in the ways of wisdom and righteousness will be blessed. Psalm 1 sums up the conclusion of the matter:

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, not stands in the paths of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.  He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bring forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.  The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.  Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment. , nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.  For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

May we be among those who reject the attitude of the scoffer and embrace the attitude of the righteous!