Passage Read: Proverbs 6-9
Meditation Verses: 9:7-9
Thought
The Gospel is for the lost, but according to these verses, there is a kind of wicked man that the wise do not bother to rebuke. The scoffer is wise in his own eyes, wiser than all those who know God's wisdom. He doesn't merely ignore reproof, he mocks and insults those who reprove him. The one who seeks to help him, to correct him only gets dishonor and insults for his trouble. The scoffer, this kind of wicked man will only hate the one who tries to instruct him. So the wisdom of God says, "Do not reprove a scoffer." Instead, reprove a wise man--he will love you for it!
Application
So there should be a way to identify a scoffer before I ever rebuke him. If he is outspoken with his opinions, then it should be easy to identify him. If not, surely the first time I suggest he might be wrong in something, he'll show himself. Scripture tells me he's not worth rebuking! There's no benefit to me or to him or to anyone around us. He will only scoff at my words, and possibly also rage against me. He needs more than words to correct him, if he is going to be corrected. Instead, I should be looking for the wise, who show themselves by their love for those who correct them and their eagerness to learn from those who have instruction for them. In fact, I need to make sure I'm not a scoffer who hates correction and attacks those who correct me, but a wise man who loves those who bring correction to me and receives it gladly.