“Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out,
and quarreling and abuse will cease.”
– Proverbs 22:10
Think carefully about these words of Solomon in our bitterly divided age. Our culture, media, entertainment, and politics are no longer content to disagree with opponents. Opponents, whomever they are, must be made fun of, mocked, scoffed, laughed at, embarrassed, humiliated, and “owned”. Scoffing reigns supreme and divisions only grow more entrenched and inflamed, year after year. Perhaps scoffing isn’t merely a side effect of division but the primary force turning disagreement into contempt, hatred, and destructive division.
It must not be this way for followers of Jesus! It’s perfectly appropriate to disagree strongly with others. It’s perfectly appropriate to passionately speak up for what you believe and to eloquently counter the arguments of others. However, followers of Jesus should reject scoffing, mocking, and humiliation. It’s enough to express your position and explain what’s wrong with someone else’s. Don’t seek to embarrass or humiliate others, even if they do that to you. Followers of Jesus must turn the other cheek about that sort of thing and encourage others to do likewise.
Remember that as a follower of Jesus, you are called to be salt and light. Salt was a preservative. Instead of making things in society worse, you are supposed to make things better, even if you feel like you’re the only one trying! You are to shine light in a dark world and reveal a better way of living and acting. Choose to reject mockery, contempt, and humiliation as a tactic. Demand that others who agree with you do likewise. Choose not to like, follow, share, or amplify scoffers even if their on “your side”. #FollowJesus