Week 37/2024
A word fitly spoken is like APPLES OF GOLD in a setting of silver-Proverbs 25v11
Some people just love to quarrel – one person I knew was proud that he did it to get under the skin of people to discover what they are really like! His logic was flawed, and we read in the Book of Proverbs 17v14: “Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out”. The writer hit the nail on the head with his metaphor and disputes only have a bad outcome.
In fact, people who are quarrelsome are unfriendly, selfish and lacking discernment and wisdom as we read in chapter 18v1: “An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and against all sound judgment starts quarrels”. Not surprisingly, they are also people who love sin – as we read in Chapter 17v19: “Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin”.
Friends let us rather seek to be peacemakers by striving for:
- PATIENCE: Proverbs 15v18 says: “A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel”.
- SENSIBLIITY: 2 Timothy 2:23 says: “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels”.
- STRENGTH: Proverbs 22v10: “Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended”.
- DISCRETION: Proverbs 26v20: “Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down”.
- HONESTY: Proverbs 26v18 says: “Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death is one who deceives their neighbour and says, ‘I was only joking!”
If we achieve these strengths, the result is a good name. Proverbs 20v3 says: “It is to one’s honour to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel”.
May God guide you to be a peacemaker.
From the former writings of Graeme Greenwood