How to Handle a Fool

The best way to handle an argumentative person is to ignore them. They indulge in deliberate obtuseness to cause frustration and anger in their victims.

Satan uses this tactic all the time. If he cannot engage you in self pity, he accuses you of doing what you are not doing, but he is doing. He uses the mouths of rebellious arrogant people to distract us from truth.

Those who fight every time they open their mouths are engaging in narcissistic behavior for the purpose of elevating self and demeaning those who would correct them.


We are seeing more of these people because the world is becoming more wicked. God tells us how to handle them.

Proverbs 26:1-8
"Like snow in summer, like rain in harvest,
honor for a fool is out of place.
2 Like the sparrow in its flitting, like the swallow in its flight,
a curse uncalled-for never lands.
3 The whip for the horse, the bridle for the ass,
and the rod for the back of fools.
4 Do not answer fools according to their folly,
lest you too become like them.
5 Answer fools according to their folly,
lest they become wise in their own eyes.
6 Those who send messages by a fool
cut off their feet; they drink down violence.
7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool
hangs limp, like crippled legs.
8 Giving honor to a fool
is like entangling a stone in the sling."

I see in this song about fools, an important lesson in dealing with them.

Verse 2 tells us that there is no argument if there is no response for the fool.

Verse 3 perhaps is referring to God's rod for their back.

Verse 4 tells us that if we engage in an argument with them, we become like them.

Verse 5 tells us that if we engage in an argument with them, they think they are wise.

Verse 6 tells us that it becomes a form of violence when engaging in an argument with a fool.

I have seen this happen many times, a fool will raise their voice, talk too long for anyone to respond and use anger to intimidate. They do not listen, because they must be in control.

Verse 7 tells us that the fool has nothing of value to say, they argue to win so they use silly rantings to that end.

Verse 8 shows us that engaging in an argument with a fool, gives their ways validity. They are empowered by the argument, feeding their arrogance.

The lesson I see from the Proverbs 26 passage is that we do not always have to answer a matter when we see that a fool is attempting to start trouble through argument. We can graciously walk away, knowing God endorses our retreat and that the fool has a better chance of learning from our silence than if we engage him.