He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
–Proverbs 9:7-10
The secret of a wise man is to know when to keep silent and when to speak. To dignify a scorner is shame; to recognize the wicked is a blot to one’s character and integrity. The wise have no dealings with the foolish: for upon communication doth the dignity of a man hinge. Our mouths are our most potent tools, they can be used to build up or tear down. When we speak, we reveal our true nature and character.
“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.”
–Abraham LincolnÂ
A wise man knows not to confront a scorner in public, if the scorner is proven wrong, he will despise his reproof. Better to take the scorn in silence than to make yourself look a fool and cause the scorner to become a man of scorn. A fool hates to hear the truth, especially when he’s dug himself into a pit. However, a wise man accepts his reproof for he knows the truth is the truth and his humility in accepting that will make him wiser. He will also look wise to those who see this. No matter how the reproof comes, the wise will humbly accept it.
What does it take to be a wise man? Well, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. By learning and experiencing the holiness of our God we obtain understanding into His plan and purpose for us.
Wisdom is the fantasy end of all mortal life.
We long to know: it’s the root of the curiosity impulse, the obsession of scientists, and the basis of the sociopathic desire for power among all men. We want to know, we want to discover. We are the only living things on earth that have imagination. Our minds are complex and we pursue new canvases of knowledge on which to paint our imaginations. We want to know, but God withholds the future from us. Why? Well, with the dandy of a mess we’re making of the present, He knows we would make a worse one of the future if we only knew what it would be.
Wisdom is in honoring and serving the Lord, seeking His will, and following His commands wherever they lead. A silent defense was what Christ gave His accusers, showing true wisdom in when to keep silent. Nothing He said would change their minds and wisdom would not be quick to waste words on stone ears. We learn to be wise through listening to what the Master has to say when He would speak and applying ourselves to His teachings. Read, study, listen, and find wisdom.
As always, thanks for reading.
–the anonymous novlelist
the anonymous novelist 