Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Foolishly Answering, Or Answering The Foolish



Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools,
    or you will become as foolish as they are.

Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools,
    or they will become wise in their own estimation.

—Proverbs 26:4-5 (NLT)



Forever Wise God,


Help me to discern when I should respond to the argument of a foolish person and when I should hold my peace.


Your Word tells me there are times I should not answer the arguments of fools just as there are times that I should answer—that is why I need the discerning wisdom of Your Spirit.

Help me to see when my answering would be an act of futility—wasted on a person who will not hear me, whose heart is not open to the truth, who is content to believe as truth the lies that spew from their own lips, who can see no fault in themselves or their actions. 

Help me to always check my motives and consider what I hope to accomplish by responding to their foolishness. 

Keep me from being deceived—from falling for that trap the enemy has set for me—by lowering myself to the level of their foolishness and attempting to answer, when in the twisted mind of the fool, no answer I could give would make a difference.

Help me to see when my answering would bring correction, understanding and peace—when reason would prevail and truth would be revealed to the heart of the fool—and help me to speak by filling my heart with Your words.

As You lead me forward and as Your Spirit prompts me, help me to speak Your truth, in love, or hold my peace and accept that there are things I cannot change—so that I might please You in everything I do.


Help me to discern when I should respond to the argument of a foolish person and when I should hold my peace.


In the name of Jesus, Amen.

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