Foolishness
Don't answer according to his foolishness or you will be like him yourself.
Answer a fool according to his foolishness or he will become wise in his own eyes. Proverbs 25: 4,5
At first glance these two verses seem at odds but on further reflection they are not.
If I have to challenge a fool then it is wise to stick to facts and not involve emotion. The other day I had to challenge such a person who was being ignorant and not communicating. My email enraged this person, as I knew it would it as his reply was full of caps and bold type. I responded with thanks for a reply and a comment that 'without communication imagination can create all sorts of reasons for non reply' and an offer to email information to assist.
Had I allowed the bold type and accusations to affect me I would have been answering this person 'according to his folly'.
Yet I knew I had to address him in the first place because I needed him to complete a task. Because he had not responded to any communication I had to get his attention and I did, I reminded this man he belonged to a professional body to whom I could complain.(I set fire to his barley fields)
Did I enjoy this? No! Did I need to do it? Yes! And should this man continue to be difficult I now have damning evidence, his email.
I do not enjoy conflict but at times there is no resolution without addressing a matter. Dealing with hot headed fools is not pleasant at all.
Answer a fool according to his foolishness or he will become wise in his own eyes. Proverbs 25: 4,5
At first glance these two verses seem at odds but on further reflection they are not.
If I have to challenge a fool then it is wise to stick to facts and not involve emotion. The other day I had to challenge such a person who was being ignorant and not communicating. My email enraged this person, as I knew it would it as his reply was full of caps and bold type. I responded with thanks for a reply and a comment that 'without communication imagination can create all sorts of reasons for non reply' and an offer to email information to assist.
Had I allowed the bold type and accusations to affect me I would have been answering this person 'according to his folly'.
Yet I knew I had to address him in the first place because I needed him to complete a task. Because he had not responded to any communication I had to get his attention and I did, I reminded this man he belonged to a professional body to whom I could complain.(I set fire to his barley fields)
Did I enjoy this? No! Did I need to do it? Yes! And should this man continue to be difficult I now have damning evidence, his email.
I do not enjoy conflict but at times there is no resolution without addressing a matter. Dealing with hot headed fools is not pleasant at all.
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