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Sunday, January 19, 2020

HOW TO ANSWER A FOOL!


Sunday, January 19, 2020

HOW TO ANSWER A FOOL!

Prov 26:4-5
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

Not all questions are seeking an answer. Sometimes they are meant to only present a very prejudiced opinion. The asker of such a question is convinced, in his own conceit, that he is right and the question is meant to prove the ignorance of anyone who tries to answer. Dr. Barnes said: To "answer a fool according to his folly" is in Prov 26:4 to bandy words with him, to descend to his level of coarse anger and vile abuse.

Wisdom is needed to determine when to apply verse 4 and when to apply verse 5. The Jewish Talmud suggests that verse 4 pertains to foolish comments that can be ignored and that verse 5 refers to erroneous ideas that must be corrected. It has been said that “a fool can ask more questions than ten wise men can answer.”

Sometimes the best answer is no answer at all.

Prov 23:9
9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

Ex 14:14
14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

Dear Lord, help me to resist the temptation to give a fool a piece of my mind for it is clear he has not used the piece he already has. AMEN

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