Proverbs - Contradiction?

Proverbs 26:4-5

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

These two proverbs seem like a contradiction but they are not.  They are telling us that sometimes when you answer a fool according to his folly, he can see how foolish he is being.  Other times, if you answer him this way, you lower yourself to a standard that the Lord would not want.  How do you know which one to do?  You must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit.  The Word of God is not a law book that can work without the leading of the One who wrote it.  It is called the ‘sword of the Spirit’ because only He has the ability to know how and when to use the Word of God in the most effective manner.  There are cults and false religions that use the Word of God to support the most blasphemous lifestyles and doctrines.  Satan used the Word of God against Jesus in the wilderness.  When dealing with a fool, we can get quite riled up and either get pulled into their foolishness or try to come at them with sound wisdom.  Sometimes one will work and sometimes the other.  We must remain quiet in our spirits and seek to respond as the Holy Spirit leads.  This will be the most effective response whether it is one or the other.