Proverbs 17:14
The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
Proverbs 17:9
Whoever covers an offense seeks love,
but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.
Tag: Conflict Can Be Avoided
In today’s society, conflict is a the main course. Rather than go out of of our way to avoid conflict, which the above passages are teaching, people seem to look for conflict. Solomon lived in a relative peaceful time. When God asked him what he wanted from God, he asked for wisdom. God not only have him wisdom, He gave him wisdom, prosperity and peace. The beauty of wisdom is that it leads to prosperity and peace, if we have real wisdom: The Fear of the Lord. Conflict “opportunities” might be the perfect time to test wisdom. When faced with a conflict we often get our injustice, entitlement, ego, or envy, ignorance, or imperium (desire for power) involved. Rather than pursue these desires, Solomon states, in the above proverbs, ceasing from strife and ending a conflict before it gets going is the best method for peace. It does not take much to continue into a conflict. It might even seem deserved. It might even feel right. But, wisdom teaches that the ending of strife is better than starting it, or continuing into it. Love covers a matter. 1 Corinthians 13 tells us this about how love interacts with wrongs:
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
If we stop the strife before it gets rolling we have a better chance to avoid the flood of conflict.
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