June 12, 2011 Wise? Foolish? What?

Wise? Foolish? What?
Proverbs 26 - 28

Prov 26:4-5 Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are. 5 Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation.

THIS ONE stopped me in my tracks. Is God talking out of both sides of his mouth? No, of course not. Only a fool would say that!
What God is conveying through the wisdom writer is this: When someone speaks to you foolishly, do not engage in the same kind of foolish talk. Instead respond to the foolish talk in a “non-foolish” (wise) way.
For example, someone might tell you how ridiculous your clothes look. Do not respond to that person with your opinion of her “ridiculous clothes” (even if it’s true). It is foolish to respond with foolish talk.
Instead, you would respond wisely to her with words of kindness about her clothes. Tell her how nice she looks. In other words, you would elevate the conversation out of criticism into praise. When you do so, the “foolish talker” may come to an understanding that her words are harmful. And hopefully she will change her foolish speech to wisdom.
If she doesn’t, there’s nothing you can do about her words. But you can always be wise and control your own speech, your own thoughts and your own actions toward others.
Know God’s wisdom. And speak God’s wisdom. People will come to trust you. In you they will see a Godly person. When they see a Godly person act Godly, they will see how good God is, and perhaps they, too, will come to trust God’s wisdom.


Pause and Consider: words of praise to lift up people.