Earlier I vented a little about one frustration I have with the blogosphere: fires draw more traffic than Jesus. I mentioned Proverbs 26:17 and that it causes a small conundrum for me. Simply put, my conundrum is trying to figure out when to actually enter into a quarrel, and how to know if my motives are pure.
Before I give you this list one disclaimer. I am not, here, attempting to answer when should you intervene and speak truth and love into the life of someone in your circle of friends and family. My question is more concerned with entering into "debate" with those online that I may never meet this side of eternity.
These are 7 questions I try to answer before I engage in a "quarrel":
1. How closely related is it to the gospel? I will be quicker to enter a discussion on the exclusivity of Christ than I would my view of the millennium.
2. Am I angry? You don't stop a dogfight by getting on all fours and barking like the dogs. Pursuing peace and unity is really the reason to enter into a quarrel, I can't do that very well if I am angry.
3. Am I more concerned with winning an argument than I am speaking truth in love? In other words am I going to make every reasonable attempt to understand the other persons point of view.
4. Do I have the time? These online discussions can be time consuming.
5. Am I approaching this humbly?
6. Am I trying to be Jesus? Am I trying to be the savior of somebody else?
7. Am I trying to defend God? He doesn't need me to defend Him.
I may ask myself a few more questions, but the big picture is that I want to approach entering a quarrel with extreme caution. I want to constantly be checking my heart as I do so. I certainly want to make sure that my aim is unity, peace, and exalting Christ.
I certainly don't want to engage in a quarrel for the sake of blog traffic.
Lord, make me humble. Help me to be wise. And above all help me to always be content in You. Amen!
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