Articles
Not Called To Be Silent
Ever catch yourself in the middle of a ridiculous argument, and wish you had just left well enough alone? If you are human, you have, many times. My mother used to say something along the lines of "arguing with a brick wall". Not so sure she wasn't referring to me at times! I assume she meant by that that the person with whom she was arguing wasn't listening, and wasn't willing to either.
Many things in life are this way, and sometimes it's the wise thing to do to just stay out of it, period. This is something we would do well to practice if we identify the argument as foolish, or the person with whom we are communicating is being foolish. Paul, in his letter to Timothy says, " Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome..." 2 Tim 2:23-24a. Titus also says, "But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless." Titus 3:9. When people take the 'brick wall' approach to worldly issues, seldom will you persuade anyone to change their minds, and when topics that have no impact on our spiritual lives do come up, we ought to wade in carefully, and retreat when necessary.
Maybe this is part of the reason we wrongfully avoid talking to people about Jesus, and His plan for their lives. Maybe we think we will not get anywhere. And yes, arguments usually do erupt, and sometimes no amount of talking will change a person's long held beliefs or family traditions, even if they are wrong by God's very own word. I once had a discussion with a friend about the Lord's Supper, and as his eyes were opened by scripture he didn't know, he admitted that he was probably wrong in his practice. It was unfortunate though that he didn't see it as "that big of a deal" and because of family tradition, didn't make any changes.
To the people we try and persuade about spiritual matters, we probably sound like a broken record, but I heard in a sermon just this week, "it's a good record!". Yes it is, and as long as our argument is that of God Himself, teaching His word in purity, we have something on our side that we don't have in worldly arguments, we have not only the unblemished truth, but God Himself as the author and perfecter of that information.
They may still not want to listen, and they may still disagree, but trying to persuade people to give their lives to Christ, to obey His will in submission to Him through faith, is still an argument worth having, and being silent is not what we are chosen to do!
