Do we need to be right? At any cost?

TODAY’S PROVERB: Do not quarrel with a man for no reason—if he has done you no harm. Proverbs 3:30

Have you noticed? There’s been a lot of quarreling lately. The vehemence in people’s eyes and actions can be frightening.

Have you also noticed, for the most part, the reason for all this anger boils down to differences of opinion? Not because someone stole our dog or vandalized our property or, God-forbid, hurt a loved one. Is because we don’t believe the same way. Or we voted for another person. Or we didn’t like the tone of someone’s remark.

When did difference of opinion become an affront to our honor?

It’s the enemy of our souls that causes division. He stirs up so much anger we no longer see the person God created. We only see their offense.

Unity can’t grow in a hostile environment. And our Savior prayed for unity (John 17:6-26). It’s important to Him. So what does the enemy want to destroy? Whatever is important to Jesus. He’s going to work diligently to do that.

Yeshua gave us a standard to teach us how to walk in unity. What is commonly called the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) highlights those standards. It’s our balanced blueprint for living a Godly life. Particularly noteworthy is verse 9:

“Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they shall be called sons of God.”

No matter how clever the rhetoric, quarreling keeps us from listening. We can’t hear the songs of hope and restoration if we are arguing. Finding common ground without compromising truth is far more worthy than proving and defending our opinion.

Come, let us reason together (Isaiah 1:17-19). Who knows, we may learn something and gain a friend.

May we reason together as peacemakers, my friends.

Proverbs 3:30 Tree of Life Bible Society, Tree of Life Version – TLV, #tlvbible, #tlvproverbs