Know Who You're Dealing With & Know When To Walk Away
Proverbs 9:7-9 Study Guide
Soul Food
“Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse. Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.” - Proverbs 9:7-9 NIV
Soul Search
Have you ever met, or have you been in relationship with, someone who could quickly turn on you? Do you remember what caused them to turn on you?
Have you tried to hold someone accountable to be responsible for things that they need to take care of only to find that they turn things around and blame you for being the problem?
In these situations do you have the type of personality to stand up to them or are you the kind of person who goes silent and takes the assault?
Often in life situations, we are ‘wired’ a certain way by nature but sometimes have to practice behavior and responses that are counter to our natures.
If you’re the type of person who easily pushes right back, what might you need in order to grow and develop?
If you’re the type of person who easily stays quiet and just ‘takes it,’ what might you need to do in order to grow and develop?
Soul Moves
Ask God in prayer to help you determine if you’re in a relationship – either momentarily, casually or long-term – with someone who is a mocker and who cannot accept correction.
Ask one or two people in your life who you trust to give you an honest assessment of how they think you are wired. Do they think you are wired to confront bad behavior or are you wired to avoid it?
Depending on your nature, practice responding to ill-mannered or difficult people in ways that may not come easily to you. Not to be rude or ill-mannered yourself, but to grow in areas that do not come easily to you.
Think of situations in daily life where you might need to respond to someone in a godly but direct way. If responding comes easy to you, think of situations where you need to practice not engaging with that person and not responding at all.
