One of the most common teachings in the Bible is the importance of staying far, far away from the middle of other people who quarrel. As Proverbs 26:17 says:
Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears
is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.
When I was a kid I sometimes saw two dogs fighting and it was tempting to try to pull them apart. Wiser heads prevailed and warned me that pullinhg the dogs apart would inevitably end badly; for me! I would get bitten. This is what usually happens to us when we attempt to get inn the middle of two people quarreling.
It is a basic fact of life that almost anytime we have a quarrel is involves a third person or issue. Quarreling kids love to pull mom into the fray by blaming a sibling. We have a fancy name for it. SIBLING RIVALRY!
As Proverbs wisely warns us, " Moms and Dads, Never get in the middle of two children that are quarreling".
Being a referee is dangerous! Referees are usually blamed for the problem after it is over. One kid says, "Mom loved you best! She always took up for you."
In a church quarrel the same thing happens. Two brothers or sisters in Christ quarrel and one will run to Mom or Dad and blame the other. Who is usually designated to be the parent at a church? To whom do people go whenn they are quarreling and need a referee on their side?
Jerry says "Elder Gary, I think you need to know that Harry is teaching heresy to the first graders!"
If Elder Gary is wise he will refuse to get in the middle of that quarrel. However, most likely, Gary is ignorant about the passage in Proverbs and thinks it is safe to pull the dogs apart. He does not realize that those fighting dogs are looking for someone to bite. As a result, he confronts Harry but gets an ear full of complaints about the lack of support for the Sunday school teachers and that the Elders really love the Seniors best!
The Bible commands us to avoid getting in the middle of the quarrels of others. It is necessary for survival in Christian leadership.
Want to learn how to do this and survive? Read my PDF book Hope and Chhange for Humpty Dumpty. Or, ignore Proverbs and me and get bit!
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