He mocks the proud scoffers 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 natural for them to visit Mather’s extensive library, a collection of some 3,000 books. That would be a substantial library today; it was pretty amazing for 1724.

Cotton Mather had been the subject of some criticism in the newspaper Franklin worked for, the Courant. Cotton demonstrated his high level of character by informing Benjamin that he had no animosity or resentment over the scathing comments.

As they walked out of the library, Mather told Franklin, “Get down! 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 in Mather couldn’t pass up the teachable moment, so he said to Ben Franklin, “Let this be a warning to you not to always hold your head so high. Duck down, young man, duck down, as you go down the 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. Their humor and comments have a demeaning tone to them. Scoffers stand above others
people, considering them not as sharp, insightful or funny.

Sometimes it’s hard to tell if the bully is acting out of a feeling of genuine superiority or compensating for low self-esteem. The bully on the playground who pushes little kids is not tough; he is more afraid than most of the children he pushes. He has just learned how to use his size to intimidate others. Confront the stalker once and he will usually back off and leave you alone. The mocker is just a bully with his mouth. He verbally pushes and shoves. Don’t involve him in his game. The best way to derail the scoffer is to remain calm in his presence.

God usually has a way of humiliating those who tower above others and treats them in a condescending and humiliating way. God mocks the scoffers but gives grace to the humble.

That is the lesson that Cotton Mather was teaching Benjamin Franklin. “Duck down, young man, duck down, as you go through this world, and you’ll miss a lot of hard knocks.” 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 planted in my head, has often served me well, and I often think of it when I see pride mortified and misfortunes befell people for hold your head 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.