THINK TOGETHER.
Do you like to argue? Why or why not?
READ TOGETHER
Proverbs 26:4. Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him.
Have you ever tried to convince someone foolish of something? I have. It rarely goes well. That's what Solomon is warning us about in this proverb – answer not a fool. But first, let's remember what a fool is in the book of Proverbs.
A fool can be simple like a child. Someone who just doesn't know better. A fool can be silly. Someone who just wants to goof off. A fool can be a scoffer. Someone who just doesn't care about God or others.
Now Solomon isn't saying to never answer a fool. What does the proverb say? It says don't answer a fool according to their folly. According to their folly? What does that mean? It means you can't talk to a fool like a fool. Don't lower yourself to the level of the fool. For example, think about a toddler, a simple fool. Have you ever seen an adult try to argue with a three-year-old? The angrier the child gets, the angrier the parent gets. It's not pretty.
What about the silly fool? The lazy fool? The one who never takes anything seriously? Should you become like them in order to teach them? Clean your room. Why, it will just get dirty again. OK fine, let's not ever clean any of the house and see what happens. Now everyone's a fool living in a dirty house.
The worst yet is the scoffer fool. The person who just get mad about everything and hates everything. When they yell and get angry should you get angry too? When the scoffer teases and bullies should you tease and bully back? Never. Why? Because now you are like him yourself.
When Jesus came to Earth he didn't act like any of these fools in order to convince us fools of God's love and holiness. He came as wisdom itself. He fought foolishness with wisdom. The wisdom of God's love and holiness, the only things that can make a fool wise.
Because of Jesus we know what real wisdom is – love and holiness in him.
With Jesus we can avoid being foolish and avoid arguing with fools.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Make 1 Corinthians 1:18 a family memory verse.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, you don't match my foolishness, you give me wisdom. Give me your wisdom today! Amen.
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