“Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” (Proverbs 9:8,9)
Humility is such a beautiful thing. No wonder the humble find grace in God’s sight. A proud person becomes offended when corrected. Instead of appreciating another’s desire to help them improve, they become indignant because the correction communicates they are “not good enough” in the eyes of their critic.
Such pride is repellent. Even the one who would give good counsel fears to give it because of the response they anticipate. “He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot” (Prov. 9:7). Neither his wife nor his servants could correct the proud fool, Nabal. “… For he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him” (1 Sam. 25:17).
The proud fool is quick to get angry at any who call into question their actions. “Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath” (Prov. 21:24). They are scorners because they are too proud to receive any correction. “A wise son heareth his father’s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke” (Prov. 13:1). The great tragedy is that proud fools ultimately harm themselves because of their unwillingness to be “fed” by those who have wisdom to impart to them. “The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom” (Prov. 10:21).
Wise people are always becoming wiser. Why? Because they are humble enough to know they have so much more to learn. Simple fools, who are humble, don’t stay fools for long. Scorning fools “die for want of wisdom.”