Thought for Monday, November 12th

November 12, 2012

The Art of Being A Non-Debater

“If you feel a row coming on, and the words ‘we have to talk’ spoken in a certain tone are heard, grab the dogs’ leads and head outdoors.  Outdoors feelings can be bellowed to the four winds.”

-       Hugh Palmer

   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..

2 Timothy 2:23-24

To debate, simply means to argue in an orderly or organized format.  And of course to argue is just a less structured way of expressing disagreements.

Sadly, it seems, amidst the body of Christ there have been way to many debates that have turned into arguments.  And one can’t sometimes help but wonder how God must feel about His blood bought children who can’t get along down here on earth.

It sometimes seems that the dogmas of our doctrines have become more important to us than our purpose and the God we are here to serve.

Even within the local bodies of believers within a denominational structures; we often spend more time disagreeing over the how to and the why for’s than we do reaching out to the lost community and working together to further the cause of Christ.

Maybe this is why God’s word tells us to avoid disagreements and arguments.  God in His ultimate wisdom knew we could not handle friendly debate: He knew we would eventually succumb to outright argumentation – hence He knew it was better for us to avoid the entire process.

I would like to offer a clear and resolute solution to this matter far more complex and intellectual than just don’t do it – but I fear that if I tried to do so, I would only spark another debate that would eventually lead to an argument – so I will resist the temptation to do so.

Today’s Prayer

Father, sometimes it is so hard not to want to pipe up and sound off when I feel there is a point that people don’t get and they need the benefit of my understanding: but then maybe, just maybe it is actually me that doesn’t get it – so help me to be peaceable and to refrain from engaging myself in unnecessary debates or arguments.

“There is a candle in every soul

Some brightly burning, some dark and cold

There is a Spirit, who brings a fire

Ignites a candle and makes His home.

Frustrated brother see how he’s tired to

light his own candle some other way.

See now your sister she’s been robbed and lied to

Still holds a candle without a flame.

So carry your candle, run to the darkness

Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn.

Hold out your candle for all to see it,

Take your candle, go light your world.“

-  Lyrics from ‘Go Light Your World’ by Chris Rice