It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel. – Proverbs 20:3 (NIV)

It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling. – Proverbs 20:3 (KJV)

52 Proverbs in 52 Weeks – Week 29
This week’s theme:  God’s Life Hacks, simple Biblical truths to increase the fruitfulness and happiness of our lives.

God’s Life Hack:  Avoid arguing and conflict.

Have you noticed that some people always seem to be looking for conflict?  This past week there was another widely-reported instance of a “popular” (in some circles) TV host screaming at a guest who had a different opinion, then having the guest (who, by the way, was invited to share her opinion) very publicly kicked off the set.  No attempt to be civil and kind to a guest.  No attempt at compassion or understanding of a different point of view.  No attempt to provide a “gentle answer” (see previous post on Proverbs 15:1).  Just a mean-spirited desire to stimulate conflict.

Unfortunately, this type of behavior has become common in recent years.  Too many people look for opportunities to argue bitterly over almost any topic, and they’re happy to put those disputes on display in public places, on TV, in websites and blogs, on twitter, and other social media.  In some cases these conflicts even lead to vandalism or physical violence.  Perhaps even more disappointing, many wear these public displays of bitterness and strife like badges of honor.

But that’s not how God says we should act.

Proverbs 20:3 tells us that avoiding strife is a true badge of honor, and people who like to quarrel are fools.  The point here is not that there’s never a time for strong disagreement–certainly there is.  Even Jesus boldly challenged the money changers who were disgracing God’s temple (see Matthew 21:12).  Solomon’s message is that we shouldn’t be quick to argue and we shouldn’t be seeking conflict as we go about our daily interactions.  Instead, we should look for ways to avoid such strife.  It takes humility and self-control to back away from an argument, and that’s not the popular way to handle such situations, but that’s God’s way.

Here’s a link to more verse posts on  God’s Life Hacks.

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