FAITH CONNECTION – FARMERSVILLE UMC
Ministry Updates for Wednesday, June 10th, 2020
The following Contribution is from Dan Lee
Scripture for Reflection – Proverbs 26:17
He who meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
Reflection – What Are We Passing On?
Quarrels may not seem like a big thing, but they often leave long-lasting effects. Loss of sleep. Resentment. Anger. Physical harm. Broken relationships. So why take up someone else’s quarrel?
Today more people take a passing dog by the ears than ever before. This dog goes by Achilles, a warrior, like his namesake from Greek mythology. But his full name is Achilles’ Heel, and you should know why. He failed obedience school with its rules of decency. When they said, “Achilles, heel,” he ran off and bit the first person he saw — yes, on the Achilles’ heel.
Achilles Heel is an attack dog. He’s taking it to the streets with the help of social media, divisive political pundits, local curmudgeons, and anyone else who passes it on. You can recognize his howling by its belligerent, negative overtones, inciting discord, incivility, and hate. It’s emotional, powerful, and usually geared to our baser instincts. Yet we take it by the ears.
I recently know of two committed Christians who did this. One posted a derogatory, unsubstantiated comment on Facebook she had heard about a politician. The other one responded with a Bible verse about bearing false witness. The first one was shamed and apologized. The second one was shamed for publicly shaming someone she cared about with a charge of hypocrisy. Achilles Heel strikes again.
The Bible tells us to “encourage one another and build one another up.” In other words, it’s our responsibility to bring peace, not spread discord. We can’t do that when we meddle in the quarrels of others. Let’s find some good news to share.
Prayer
Dear God, please help us avoid the quarrels of others, looking to you for our source of comfort and inspiration. Give us the wisdom to hear what is being said, as well as the wisdom to know how to speak to others with words that reflect your kindness and love. Amen.