Classroom Wisdom: Responding to Scoffers, Mockers, Fools, and Skeptics
January 30, 2024
Katherine Schultz
In a biblical context, terms like scoffer, mocker, fool, and skeptic are often used to describe different attitudes towards faith, wisdom, and God. It’s important to note that these terms are used in various contexts within the Bible, and their meanings can overlap. But for the moment, let’s explore them as if they are different things, and look at ways to respond when you encounter students with each.
Scoffers
Scoffers are individuals who expressed contempt or derision, often directed at matters of faith or righteousness. According to 2 Timothy 3:1-5, “There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.” We are reminded in Proverbs 14:6, that “a scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.” And in Proverbs 9:7-8,”whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he will reprove the wicked man anchors injury. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove, a wise man, and he will love you.”
The biblical response to a scoffer is to drive him out: “Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarreling and abuse will cease” (Proverbs 22:10). Not always an immediate option, I understand, but within your classroom, you can drive out the scoffer by corrective discipline, redirecting the conversation, and making it clear you will not accept such an attitude in your class. And eventually, it may be necessary to drive out the scoffer literally, so engage with your head of school if needed.
More than anything, be in prayer for the scoffer, because Jesus died for him or her, too. Always keep repentance visible.
I had a student in my first few years as a teacher in a small Chrisitan school. I’ll call him Jake. Jake was a scoffer, ridiculing everything of the Lord, and generally making a nuisance of himself in class by distracting others through his attempts at humor. He wasn’t belligerent, or defying easy-to-spot rules. But he scoffed at everything he could. It wasn’t pleasant to have him in class for those three years. And I didn’t see results while he was my student. But fast forward about 20 years. I had moved to a new city, and was looking for a church to join in my new home. My husband and I visited one particular church several times, and whom did we meet? Jake and his family. In church. And part of the fellowship of believers.
We don’t know how long it may take for God to reach the hearts of the lost, but we can celebrate when we see that he has done it again!
Mockers
If scoffers ridicule matters of faith, mockers ridicule people, and in our modern American culture that’s worse. Mockers are individuals who ridicule or scorn the beliefs and values of others, often in a disrespectful manner. Psalm 1:1 tells us not to hang out with mockers. And Job had to deal with them (Job 17:2), and didn’t find it at all pleasant.
Dealing with mockers isn’t easy, either. According to Matthew 5:44, “I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Instead of being a mocker, we want our students to be kind. Proverbs 14:21 reminds us, “It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.” We should encourage kindness and compassion toward others instead of a mocking or despising attitude. And we should be correcting them when they mock. Ephesians 4:29 says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Rather than engaging in mocking or hurtful speech, believers are encouraged to speak words that build others up and bring benefit. Again, our goal is always to bring the student to repentance, and we have to be guided by the Holy Spirit in our interactions toward that end, and celebrate when we see it happen.
Fools
In the Bible, fools are often characterized by their moral or spiritual foolishness, rejecting wisdom and righteousness. Most significantly, fools reject God himself, denying he even exists: “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good” (Psalm 14:1).
Sometimes, our best response to a fool is simply not to engage. According to Proverbs 23:9, “Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words.”
Sometimes, we should engage: “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes” (Proverbs 26:4-5).
Either way, we need to be mindful of the full class, and address folly from a biblical perspective so that our other students are aware of what we think of it-and what God thinks of it.
Maybe the best way to determine whether or not we should respond is to identify the student’s goal: does he or she want to argue, or does he or she want the truth? We should probably refrain from futile arguments when that’s the whole goal. And we should probably engage when the truth is the goal – even if it’s not the goal of the foolish student, the others in the class can benefit from having a biblical answer to the foolishness.
Skeptics
Skeptics are in a different category. Skeptics are individuals who approach beliefs and claims with doubt or a questioning attitude. For skeptics, those approaching with legitimate doubts or questions, the best response is to answer them.
Think of the father in the story in Mark 9, where Jesus heals the son of a man brought before him with an impure spirit. Jesus reminds him everything is possible to those who believe. “Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!'” (Mark 9:24).
Our response to skeptics can be giving them respectful attention and encouraging them to do the same in response. We should foster a culture of inquiry. We shouldn’t be afraid to explore hard questions of the faith with our students. We want to strengthen their faith, and this will strengthen the faith of all our students, not only the skeptics. Jude 1:22 reminds us to “Be merciful to those who doubt.” But we should also “test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
Classroom Environment Full of Grace
Of course, we want our classrooms to be full of grace. To be places where Jesus is lifted up. And where those who don’t yet know him can encounter him, and be drawn to him by the power of the Holy Spirit.
That means we (and all our students, including the scoffers, mockers, fools, and skeptics) should practice respect, empathy, and understanding. According to Ephesians 4:2-3, we should approach each class period with humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance, and unity.
And we should “Let [our] speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that [we] may know how [we] ought to answer each person” (Colossians 4:6).
But ultimately, we need to operate with 1 Peter 3:15 in mind: “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”
Scoffers, mockers, fools get correction, and they don’t get the floor.
Skeptics get respectful attention for their questions – as long as they don’t shift into one of the other categories.
Now What?
We are convinced of the immediate relevance of developing a 3-dimensional and biblical worldview in students so that they have a firm foundation of beliefs that they live out in their daily behavior as they continue with an attitude that orients their heart toward the Lord Jesus Christ throughout their lives.
- What Is the 3-D Worldview Survey?
- Take the 3-D Worldview for yourself
And if you haven’t yet used the 3-D Worldview Survey with your class, check out the pdf below for some questions to get you started.
#3dworldview #biblicalworldview #teachingworldview
