Proverbs 22:10

The book of Proverbs gives us a lot of instruction on a lot of different subjects. One subject that can keep us in God’s wisdom is Godly Follower-ship. Who we follow; where we follow; how we follow are all spoken about in Proverbs. Here is one of them about a scoffer:

Proverbs 22:10 (NASB)

Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out,

Even strife and dishonor will cease.

Proverbs 22:10 (ESV)

Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out,

and quarreling and abuse will cease.

One of the most difficult attitudes to deal with is the scoffer.  A scoffer makes light of the heavy conversation, fun of the serious and ignores instruction.   Scoffing is a serious problem in a society bent on fun, self-indulgence and vanity.   If you lead a group of people and you harbor a scoffer in your midst you have felt the thorns of the rose ... a person created in God's image who doesn't admit it.   Solomon gives us the solution for the scoffer but it is not an easy one to employ.  Solomon tells us to "drive out the scoffer."    Driving out is not something we do.   We want harmony..  We want to enlist people into service.  We want to invite people to join.  Here we are told to drive out.   Solomon gives us the benefits of such an act, however.   He tells us that if we drive out a scoffer we will end "contention".  We will see strife and dishonor "cease."   The implication is that a scoffer fosters contention, strife and dishonor.   If you read Proverbs long enough you will see that Solomon offers NO solution to change a scoffing mind.   We can change the naive and are instructed in Proverbs of how to do that.    However, we are not encourage to change the scoffer's mind.  We are told to drive him/her out.   Seems tough but those who reject the authority of God in their lives possess the scoffing life.  If they are not driven out they will affect the entire environment.   Drive them out or live with them.  There doesn't seem to be a middle ground.