Don’t Quarrel
Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will 2 Timothy 2:23-26
In this rich little passage Paul gives Timothy three very practical principles:
(1) stay clear of fruitless disputes
Some Christians seem to love them. They thrive in a huddle of raised voices and elevated blood pressure. Scriptures are thrown around whether relevant or not. Participants hardly hear what’s being said because they’re quickly assembling their next shot for truth! There can be benefit from such meetings but when it becomes ‘quarrels,’ Paul’s instruction is ‘quit.’
(2) keep your spirit right even when everyone around you isn’t.
If you can’t keep a conversation with someone who disagrees with you at the level of ‘kindness’ and ‘gentleness, then it’s time to walk away. Who cares if the other person thinks they won the argument? You can win the battle but still lose the war. You can come out on top but lose the other person’s respect. That’s not really a win; that’s really a loss.
(3) recognise that finally it’s up to God to open peoples’ eyes and set them free.
Our argument might be carefully thought through but if God’s not in it, it won’t make an ounce of difference. Pray before speaking, while speaking and after speaking. The issue is light versus darkness, not your eloquence versus their wrongness.
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