My take on this would be, that it's about knowing what "fights" are worth engaging in. What fights has Jesus himself already shown worth fighting? Stuff like freedom, equality, forgiveness and ultimately salvation. I think it boils down to the ability to discern what and when (and in that order) issues are worth fighting for. I try to ask myself when faced with confrontation, "Is this a hill worth dying on?" and realize most quarrels simply aren't worth it and are possibly even a distraction from the issues worth fighting for. Jesus stood his ground on number of occasions by not necessarily fighting but by asking the right questions to help others come to better understanding or at least self evaluate whether the issue at hand was a hill worth dying on for them. Even causing accusers to reflect on if they even had a leg to stand on in making whatever accusation they were making. One of my most favorite Jesus statements is "Who ever is blameless among you throw the first stone." Jesus thought the only hill worth dying on was a hill called Golgotha and with it he purchased my salvation, my healing, my forgiveness, my everything...He choose to fight the "good" fights and avoid the meaningless ones...which, in my mind, is a rather admirable characteristic and something I'd like to improve on myself. And I'm willing to bet, God, if you ask Him, will speak to you about what "fights" you should be personally engaging in. That's my take on what the scripture/God is communicating here...and that's all the time and energy I'm going to give to this "fight." Make it a great day and fight the "good" fight of faith (I Timothy 6:12)!
January 12, 2012
"Fights"
Proverbs 20:3 -"Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling"
This morning my husband shared this verse on his facebook from Proverbs that caused others to pose good questions...
Some had asked "what about equality or the fight to free slaves & such"? Good questions for sure. I had to share my husband's take:
My take on this would be, that it's about knowing what "fights" are worth engaging in. What fights has Jesus himself already shown worth fighting? Stuff like freedom, equality, forgiveness and ultimately salvation. I think it boils down to the ability to discern what and when (and in that order) issues are worth fighting for. I try to ask myself when faced with confrontation, "Is this a hill worth dying on?" and realize most quarrels simply aren't worth it and are possibly even a distraction from the issues worth fighting for. Jesus stood his ground on number of occasions by not necessarily fighting but by asking the right questions to help others come to better understanding or at least self evaluate whether the issue at hand was a hill worth dying on for them. Even causing accusers to reflect on if they even had a leg to stand on in making whatever accusation they were making. One of my most favorite Jesus statements is "Who ever is blameless among you throw the first stone." Jesus thought the only hill worth dying on was a hill called Golgotha and with it he purchased my salvation, my healing, my forgiveness, my everything...He choose to fight the "good" fights and avoid the meaningless ones...which, in my mind, is a rather admirable characteristic and something I'd like to improve on myself. And I'm willing to bet, God, if you ask Him, will speak to you about what "fights" you should be personally engaging in. That's my take on what the scripture/God is communicating here...and that's all the time and energy I'm going to give to this "fight." Make it a great day and fight the "good" fight of faith (I Timothy 6:12)!
My take on this would be, that it's about knowing what "fights" are worth engaging in. What fights has Jesus himself already shown worth fighting? Stuff like freedom, equality, forgiveness and ultimately salvation. I think it boils down to the ability to discern what and when (and in that order) issues are worth fighting for. I try to ask myself when faced with confrontation, "Is this a hill worth dying on?" and realize most quarrels simply aren't worth it and are possibly even a distraction from the issues worth fighting for. Jesus stood his ground on number of occasions by not necessarily fighting but by asking the right questions to help others come to better understanding or at least self evaluate whether the issue at hand was a hill worth dying on for them. Even causing accusers to reflect on if they even had a leg to stand on in making whatever accusation they were making. One of my most favorite Jesus statements is "Who ever is blameless among you throw the first stone." Jesus thought the only hill worth dying on was a hill called Golgotha and with it he purchased my salvation, my healing, my forgiveness, my everything...He choose to fight the "good" fights and avoid the meaningless ones...which, in my mind, is a rather admirable characteristic and something I'd like to improve on myself. And I'm willing to bet, God, if you ask Him, will speak to you about what "fights" you should be personally engaging in. That's my take on what the scripture/God is communicating here...and that's all the time and energy I'm going to give to this "fight." Make it a great day and fight the "good" fight of faith (I Timothy 6:12)!
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love this
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