Walk of Life – Day 26 – July 2020 – Thoughts from the Book of Proverbs
Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own. Proverbs 26:17
Another translation that appealed to me was “Getting involved in an argument that is none of your business is like going down the street and grabbing a dog by the ears.”
Truly Solomon’s words of wisdom are so practical. Here Solomon is referring to two dogs fighting and you go and catch one dog by the ear. It sounds pretty strange that someone would actually do it. Also, it is important to understand that there were no domestic dogs in ancient Israel. Most of them were wild and obviously catching those by the ear would be pretty dangerous. However, the allegory is profound and the latter part of the sentence is definitely something that most of us do on a day-to-day basis. When you see two persons quarreling or fighting be it at home or work or maybe even at church, the immediate response is to go and try to stop the fight. Intervene, say something, and hope that things get better. Experience and wisdom says that do not interfere in a quarrel that you know nothing about because more often than not you make things worse and more dangerous.
You may argue that the Lord has called us to be peacemakers. It is interesting to note that the Lord Jesus himself refused to be involved in a domestic dispute (Luke 12:14) and the apostles advised against meddling in I Peter 4:15 and arguing in 2 Timothy 2:23. This makes it very clear that peacemaking needs more preparation and care than is possible by someone who is a stranger to the issue, who neither knows both the parties nor the complete matter. Before successful reconciliation is possible, sufficient information is required to judge rightly and gain the confidence of the concerned parties.
A peacemaker must be fully aware that interference at the moment of irritation will cause more confusion rather than putting out the fire. He will need to understand both sides before he intervenes. It is sad than many of us are most ready to offer counsel and advise in quarrels that are totally foreign to us but would never accept reproof and counsel from others. Also, in today’s social media age, many of us end up arguing unnecessarily on WhatsApp groups and Twitter or Facebook pages. Be aware, you may just get hurt unnecessarily, post only what is wholesome and edifying and that will not in any way cause conflict.
The next time you want to solve a quarrel, a family issue, a church problem, remember this verse. You may get bit if you do not carefully weigh the situation, understand both sides and are invited to solve the issue. Never jump into a quarrel, it helps no one.
Prayer: Dear Lord, teach me to be humble and manage my own issues. Help me not to quarrel or to involve in another person’s quarrel. Teach me at the same time to be a peacemaker in the true sense of the word. In Jesus name I pray Amen.
