When Is It Time to Cut Someone Off?

Proverbs 22:10

         Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are
         ended.

One of the most difficult things to do is to determine when it is time to cut-off a conversation. We are taught to never give up on people. So we try to reason, persuade, and encourage a difficult person. But when does a person cease to have a temporary difficulty and become a mocker?

I am not sure, but when a person is no longer listening to others, but merely speaking to be heard or has little regard for the contributions of others, the line has been crossed. Mockers cannot be convinced. They are often stuck in their ways. The most loving thing to do for the mocker and those whom are impacted by him is to drive him out for the betterment of the group. A mocker may need to find a community where he is willing to listen to others. But when a mocker is removed from a group, it is addition by subtraction.