He mocks the proud scorners but gives grace to the humble. Proverbs 3:34
Benjamin Franklin was visiting the old Puritan preacher, Cotton Mather, in Boston. Cotton liked the young printer even though he could be quite critical of established religion. They both liked books, so it was only natural that they would visit Mather’s extensive library, a collection of some 3,000 books. That would be a substantial library today; it was quite surprising for 1724.
Cotton Mather had been the subject of some criticism in Franklin’s newspaper, the Courant. Cotton demonstrated his high level of character by informing Benjamin that he felt no animosity or resentment for the scathing comments.
As they left the library, Mather said to Franklin, “Duck! Get down!”
Franklin wasn’t sure what Mather meant, so he kept walking. But when he hit his head in a low beam, he knew.
The preacher at Mather couldn’t pass up the teaching moment, so he said to Ben Franklin, “Let this be a warning to you not to always hold your head so high. Get down, young man, get down, as you go for this world.” and you’ll miss a lot of hard hits.”
Scoffers hold their heads high. They always seem to be evaluating others in a negative way. His humor and his comments have a demeaning tone for them. Scoffers stand above others
people, considering them not so sharp, insightful or funny.
Sometimes it’s hard to tell if the scoffer is acting from a sense of genuine superiority or compensating for low self-esteem. The bully on the playground who pushes little kids isn’t tough; he’s more afraid than most of the kids he pushes around. He has just learned to use his size to the advantage of intimidating others. Confront the stalker once and they will usually back off and leave you alone. The trickster is just a bully with his mouth. He verbally pushes and shoves. Do not involve him in his game. The best way to derail the trickster is to remain calm in his presence.
God usually has a way of humiliating those who rise above others and treats them in a condescending and humiliating way. God mocks the mockers but gives grace to the humble.
That is the lesson Cotton Mather was teaching Benjamin Franklin. “Get down, young man, get down, as you go through this world, and you’ll miss a lot of hard hits.” In other words, don’t live with the pride of a mocker, be humble.
Years later, Ben Franklin told Mather’s son: “This advice, thus beaten upon my head, has often served me well, and I often think of it when I see pride mortified and misfortunes afflict people for hold your head up too high.
With all of his accomplishments and accomplishments on both sides of the Atlantic, Franklin knew the importance of keeping everything in proper perspective. As another wise saying goes: “When pride comes, then comes misfortune, but with humility comes wisdom.”
Life is full of low lights. Remember to stop.
