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The following comes from the devotional book “What Now?” by Ashley Akers. To learn more, go to www.whatnowdevo.com.
Arguments
When I was growing up, arguments were a common occurrence is everyday life. Ironically, there was one thing I noticed; there was never a winner. Nothing ever got settled, there were always hurt feelings and it was always somebody else’s fault. So, as a child, I quickly picked up on how to argue. My mother always said that I should be an attorney because I would argue with a fence post. And one thing was certain; I wouldn’t stop until I won. For me “picking my battles” meant picking every battle because I was determined to not be beat by anyone. I couldn’t and wouldn’t accept defeat.
But, to my dismay, the Bible teaches us not to argue and for good reason. Philippians 2:14 (NLT) says, “Do everything without…arguing.”
And 2 Timothy 2:23 (NLT) notes, “Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.”
That verse is a hard one for me! Arguing can have serious consequences and can cause others to lose respect for you – respect very hard to regain. We live in an electronic age where voicing your opinion has become easy, way too easy. The boom of social media has taken arguing to an unprecedented level. Hiding behind a computer can give one a sense of confidence. This confidence can be used for good but is often used for bad. Think of a recent time you posted something argumentative or saw somebody else do that kind of thing. Posts range from from ranting to trying to prove a person wrong to intentionally demeaning someone else or even trying to expose a person. Posts like that hurt feelings, damage reputations and start fights that are not easily resolved, if ever. It is far better to practice self-discipline when you feel like arguing in a way that is not glorifying to God. This is super hard, especially if you have the “foot-in-mouth syndrome” like I do. I normally remind myself, “Think before you speak, Ashley. Think before you speak.” Sometimes I do well and sometimes I fail. If I fall, I get right back up by swallowing my pride, apologizing and moving on while trying to do better.
Not only can arguing negatively affect you, it can negatively affect the church. Constant arguing gives unbelievers a false picture of who Jesus is. Why would anybody want to trust Jesus and be a part of His church if it appears that all Christians do is argue? The greatest commands that Jesus gave us were to love God and to love others. LOVE. Love the one who gossips about you or tries to argue with you. Amazingly, loving others helps you win the war by refusing to engage in the battle.
Reflection Questions
- Do you find yourself wanting to argue with others?
- Why do you normally want to argue?
- How do you react when others try to argue with you?
Copyright © 2024 by Ashley Akers @ whatnowdevo.com. No part of this article may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from Lifeword.org