AVOIDING A FIGHT

“Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.” Proverbs 20:3 NLT. Any number of things in American culture run contrary to the counsel of Scripture. One trend is the elevation of the art of arguing. Particularly in politics but also in pop culture, being loud and attacking others to make your point is accepted and honored. The advent of anonymous online platforms give people the opportunity to say outrageous and offensive things with no risk and no accountability. The trend has grown so ubiquitous that journalists and talk shows make big money setting up the argument and belittling those that do not conform to their version of reality. They literally insist on having the fight orchestrating the conversation for maximum entertainment value. Their followers make them out to be heroes. The Bible tells us clearly that this is foolishness. To the contrary, honor should go to the one that avoids the fight, that does not provoke others, does not find satisfaction in anger that often accompanies a quarrel. God calls us to behavior that is consistent with His character. May those of us who follow Jesus resist the urge to quarrel with the world around us.