Chapter 29

Proverbs 29 (Jeannie)

"Scoffers set a city aflame, but wise men turn away wrath".
Proverbs 29:8 (NKJV)

The definition of scoff is to show contempt by derisive acts, or words;

to mock; stresses insolence, disrespect, or incredulity as motivating the derision. After reading this, I looked up deride, the root word of derisive: to laugh at contemptuously; to subject to ridicule.

What an ugly action!! If asked, I think all of us would say we dislike ridicule, but do we see it for the dangerous thing that it is....not only to the person being ridiculed, but to the one doing it? It ignites flames of negative emotions, which hurt, and destroy. As the verse says scoffers can do immense damage. So why would one ridicule another? Romans 7:18 says " For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells...". If we allow negative emotions to take control, they will burn away our decency and our sense of justice.

As I pondered the second part of this verse, I wondered how "wise men turn away wrath", which is defined as violent anger, or rage. So I went to the dictionary again. "Turn away" is defined as: deflect, avert; to send away; reject, dismiss; to refuse admittance, or acceptance to; depart.

So, basically, a wise man refuses to have anything to do with wrath. He refuses to allow anger to take control of him, and he deflects or averts anger from others. One way he does this is given in Proverbs 15:1 "A soft answer turns away wrath..." Therefore, a wise man can put out the flames.