Here’s the seed thought for this episode of Think On This…
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes. (Proverbs 26:4-5)
Think on this:
- Do I have a solid relationship with this person?
- Do I need to respond for their benefit?
- Can I ask any clarifying questions before I speak?
- Can I respond in love?
Craig T. Owens 
May 6, 2023 at 11:33 am
“In Biblical parlance anyone is a fool who denies the existence or relevance of God and who thus becomes a law unto himself in trying to make his way in life (cf. Psalm 14:1; Ephesians 5:15-17). The fool, as opposed to the wise, is the one who has no use for God (cf. Proverbs 3.5-6). The Hebrew word for ‘fool’ appears to mean something like living within one’s own little world—naïve, silly, or idiotic—or those who make decisions and choices from the gut rather than from careful consideration of all the facts and consequences.
“The fool thus does not use sound reason, because his thinking is anchored in himself rather than in God and His Word; and he inhabits a world of his own creation, one that has no place for God or His Word. He lives ‘under the sun’ rather than ‘under the heavens,’ and thus his reasoning is trapped beneath the closed ceiling of his false worldview.
“Part of the believer’s calling is so to love such people that we seek them out—as Jesus did the lost of His day (Luke 19:11)—and to engage them in ongoing conversations about their views. Our purpose in this must be, as Paul explains (2 Timothy 2:24-26), to correct those who are living self-contradictory, unworkable worldviews, with patience and gentleness, so that they might come to their senses and escape the clutches of the father of lies, who is fueling their self-deception.” —T.M. Moore, commenting on the use of the word “fool” in Proverbs 26:4-5
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March 20, 2024 at 4:41 pm
[…] are some great balancing verses. Balance Proverbs 26:4-5 (here is a video where I expand on this idea), and then balance Philippians […]
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