Walk of Life – Day 22 – July 2020 – Thoughts from the Book of Proverbs
Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarreling and abuse will cease. Proverbs 22:10
This verse took me by surprise. We read the Book of Proverbs almost daily, but suddenly this struck. Such precious rules for daily living; how blessed we would be if we follow these wise sayings in practical life. We all are striving for peace, at all levels. Quarreling and abuse have become commonplace almost everywhere. Respecting each other, understanding the other person’s feelings, thinking before you speak, have become terms very foreign to us. Today it is more, be bold, be outspoken, I just don’t care, I will do what I want, I am a bold, smart, outgoing person.
It sounds like a mathematical equation to me. Life minus a scoffer equals peace and calm, no strife, no quarrelling, no hard feelings, and probably no broken hearts!
Let us first define a scoffer, was looking at the different Bible translations and this one seemed very straightforward. “ Arguments and fights will come to an end, if you chase away those who insult others.” Contemporary English Version
A scoffer, or a mocker or a scorner, one who insults and makes fun of others or thinks too much of one’s self, one who is proud and conceited, you would have typically formed the image in your mind. We come across such people in our daily lives and many a times, we also may behave that way. In Proverbs 6:19, one of the six things the Lord detests is ‘a person who stirs up conflict in the community (NIV)’. The Lord hates those who sow discord, who cause divisions, and who constantly abuse and judge others.
How we long for peaceful relationships in daily life. Let us seek the Lord and ask Him to not make us judgmental, to help us respect the feelings of others, and to not hurt or pass hurtful comments about others. Let us also learn to keep away from gossip, from people who always have something negative to say about someone.
“Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Let this beautiful prayer of St Francis of Assisi be ours today:
