Correcting Mockers
Proverbs 9:7,8 (Amplified) “He who corrects and instructs a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, and he who rebukes a wicked man gets insults for himself. Do not correct a scoffer [who foolishly ridicules and takes no responsibility for his error] or he will hate you; Correct a wise man [who learns from his error], and he will love you.”
Have you ever been mocked publicly and embarrassed? Or perhaps you retaliated by trying to defend yourself, only to have dug a deeper hole because the mocker fired back with a harsher insult? Then you walk away feeling worse, wishing you had never engaged. Today, embarrassing someone else is popular. Television sitcoms are flooded with characters embarrassing others while the fake laughing machine imitates an audience.
Did you know there were times when Jesus ignored His mockers (scoffers)? Jesus ignored the Pharisees, Pontius Pilate, and Herod while he was on trial to be executed on the cross. He also ignored the Pharisees who caught a woman in adultery and demanded that Jesus consent to her being stoned to death. (John 8:1-5) But John 8:6 explains why Jesus was initially quiet. Jesus knew the Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus into saying something they could use against Him.
Here is the point. A mocker is not interested in being corrected. Responding to a mocker without wisdom sets them up to use your words against you.
Don’t waste time rebuking a wicked person. There is a difference between Correction and Rebuke.
- Correction is guiding a person back to the right path.
- Rebuke is a stern disapproval of behavior.
Rebuking a wicked person can come across as YOU judging them, which can provoke a bigger negative rebuttal. I’m not saying to be weak and quiet Christians in your little corner. As Christians, we are to move when God tells us to move and speak when God tells us to speak. When King David committed a horrible sin, God used Jonathan to speak up to David, and he immediately repented. Jonathan rebuked David, and King David responded.
Ask God for His wisdom and discernment to know when to rebuke and when to correct others.
Be Blessed!
Ron
Ron Cobbs Ministries © Copyright September 9th, 2026, All Rights Reserved