I was listening to an episode of Real Life this morning and in his message Phil Waldrep shared a quote of advice concerning dealing with issues. He shared how a someone told him once that a bulldog can whip a skunk but it isn’t worth the fight. This is one of the hard lessons that the Lord has taught me in my walk with Him.
When we hear wrong thinking and wrong speaking especially when it concerns us we often are ready to come in like a bulldog and chase that skunk down and tear them to bits. However, in doing so we are the ones who walk away stinking to high heaven and the stench runs deep and doesn’t easily wash off. As a matter of fact it sticks to anyone in our vicinity. It is a smell that will linger in our own nostrils for days to come.
In 1 Corinthians Paul is writing the church in Corinth because they are dealing with a lot of issues. They seem to be stirred up over things that need not be and ignoring things that should be stirred up about and addressing immediately. It’s really not unlike many of our present churches and actually even our nation today.
I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers? Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your brethren
1 Corinthians 6:5-8
When I was children’s minister I taught a VBS that discussed what the curriculum called the D-darts of the devil. I have never forgotten this lesson. It was meant to teach kids, but it taught me as well. The D-darts of the devil–doubt, depression, deception, distraction, disappointment, discouragement–are all tools that he uses to detour us off God’s path and purpose for our lives. He wants to destroy us and our witness for Christ and His gospel and he will use all his means to do so.
His method of distraction is best seen in his ability to get us all riled up over something that in the light of eternity does not amount to a hill of beans. I have learned that I simply am not going to argue with someone concerning opinions. I’m not going to debate on social media where someone cannot see the countenance of my face or hear the tone of my voice. I also am not going to give a watching world a reason to hate the church of my Jesus simply because some of her brothers and sisters are illegitimate or immature.
There are things worth fighting for and defending, but if the only reason you are opening your mouth is because you see yourself as the bulldog and you know that you can use your teeth to whip what you deem to be a skunk… you, my friend, are the one that will walk away in a great stench and the watching world will run to the rescue of the wounded skunk.
Rather be the skunk.
Rather be defrauded.
Rather be wronged.