🕊️ PRAY HERE Devotion 🕊️ Arguing Only Fuels the Fire! Drop It.

Scripture: Proverbs 26:21 NIV

“As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,

so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.”

Devotion :

Have you ever known or seen someone who just LOVES TO ARGUE?

No matter how peaceful things can be…

They’ll find SOMETHING to argue about. 🤦🏽‍♀️😂

You could say:

“It’s a beautiful day outside.”

And here they come:

“Well, it ain’t THAT beautiful!”

😂😂😂

I try to make light of things before I get heavy!

Because in all seriousness…

ARGUING SOLVES NOTHING.

This new generation has a new name for it, and it’s called “BEEFING.”

People are arguing through messy bone carriers.

Arguing over the internet.

Posting subliminal messages about each other.

“I didn’t say anybody’s name.”

But everybody knows exactly who you’re talking about. 🤦🏽‍♀️

One person posts.

The other responds.

Somebody screenshots it.

Somebody sends it to somebody else.

Now everybody’s picking sides.

Then by the time the two people actually see each other…

What started as WORDS can turn into violence.

😢🙏🏽

We are seeing the consequences of people who have not learned how to manage anger, offense, embarrassment, rejection, and other strong emotions.

And somebody needs to teach this generation:

EVERYTHING IS NOT THAT DEEP!

Every insult doesn’t require retaliation.

Every disagreement doesn’t require an enemy.

Every rumor doesn’t require confrontation.

Every disrespectful comment doesn’t require you to PROVE SOMETHING.

I know of a young man who almost died because somebody told another guy he once was cool with that he had called him a name.

That’s it.

A NAME.

The young man denied ever saying it.

But the other guy became so offended that he threatened his life and eventually assaulted him.

Thank God nobody died. 🙏🏽

But it still caused trouble and pain for both young men.

All over something that could have been handled completely differently.

That’s what uncontrolled anger and arguing can do.

Something SMALL becomes something BIG.

Something temporary produces consequences that last much longer.

Sometimes I feel like the WHOLE WORLD NEEDS TO BE IN AN ANGER MANAGEMENT CLASS! 😩 SMH People get mad over everything now.

Maybe we’d have fewer petty arguments…

and fewer lives destroyed because somebody couldn’t let something go.

And while we’re here…

TO ALL THE INSTIGATORS: STOP!

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

Stop carrying messages.

Stop:

“You know what she said about you?”

“I’m not trying to start anything, BUT…”

Yes you are! 🤦🏽‍♀️

You throw wood on the fire…

Then when everything blows up:

“I don’t know what happened!”

YES YOU DO! 🤨

You helped keep it going.

And this isn’t only happening among young people.

Grown people do it too.

Imagine two sisters having a disagreement at a family gathering.

One says something disrespectful.

The other responds.

Then somebody brings up something from FIVE YEARS AGO.

👀

Now they’re not arguing about what happened today anymore.

They’re arguing about Christmas 2021.

Then somebody mentions Mama.

Somebody’s husband gets involved.

Somebody storms out.

Now two sides of the family aren’t speaking.

Months turn into years.

Birthdays pass.

Holidays become uncomfortable.

Children grow up barely knowing each other.

And every few months somebody throws another little jab.

ALL BECAUSE NOBODY WOULD DROP IT.

Whewww! 😮‍💨🥺

That’s why today’s Scripture is so powerful.

Proverbs 26:21 says:

“As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.”

It doesn’t get much plainer than that.

ARGUING IS LIKE PUTTING MORE WOOD ON A FIRE.

🔥

What happens when you keep adding wood?

THE FIRE KEEPS BURNING.

You respond.

🔥 Wood.

They respond.

🔥 Wood.

You insult them.

🔥 Wood.

They bring up your past.

🔥 Wood.

You tell somebody else.

🔥 Wood.

They post about you.

🔥 Wood.

Now something that could have ended TWO HOURS AGO is still burning two years later!

SOMEBODY HAS TO STOP ADDING WOOD.

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

And maybe that somebody needs to be YOU.

Every argument does not need a winner.

Sometimes the win is:

PEACE.

Sometimes maturity sounds like:

“We’re not getting anywhere. Let’s stop.”

“I don’t want to hurt you trying to prove my point.”

“Let’s talk when we’re both calmer.”

“I understand that we disagree.”

Or sometimes…

JUST BE QUIET.

😂👏🏽

Remember what we recently learned:

HOLD YOUR PEACE.

You don’t have to answer everything.

You don’t have to get the last word.

You don’t have to embarrass somebody because you have information that could hurt them.

You don’t have to prove that you’re right by making somebody else look stupid.

DROP IT.

When you see a conversation turning toward hate instead of peace…

Drop it.

When it’s producing hurt feelings instead of understanding…

Drop it.

When you’re no longer trying to resolve anything and you’re just trying to WIN…

Drop it.

When both of you are saying things you’ll have to apologize for tomorrow…

DROP IT!

🙏🏽

That doesn’t mean important issues should never be discussed.

Some things absolutely need to be addressed.

But there’s a difference between healthy disagreement and contentious arguing.

Healthy communication seeks understanding and resolution.

Contention keeps throwing wood on the fire.

BE A WISE PEACEMAKER. In one of my favorite scriptures,

Jesus said:

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” — Matthew 5:9 KJV

Notice He said PEACEMAKERS.

Sometimes peace has to be MADE.

And making peace may require somebody mature enough to stop feeding the fight.

Let that somebody be you.

STOP ADDING WOOD.

STOP CARRYING BONES.

STOP TRYING TO GET THE LAST WORD.

STOP LETTING SMALL THINGS BECOME BIG THINGS.

Life is too precious.

Relationships are too valuable.

And some consequences are too permanent.

ARGUING ONLY FUELS THE FIRE!

DROP IT. 🔥➡️🙏🏽

Reflect & Respond

Think about a conflict you’re currently involved in.

Ask yourself:

Am I actually trying to resolve this; or am I trying to win?

Am I bringing peace, or am I adding wood to the fire?

Have I involved people who didn’t need to be involved?

Is proving my point worth damaging this relationship?

And here’s today’s challenge:

IDENTIFY ONE ARGUMENT YOU CAN STOP FEEDING.

Don’t send another subliminal post.

Don’t carry another message.

Don’t make another jab.

Don’t respond just because they responded.

If the conversation needs to happen, come back to it when both people can communicate with the goal of UNDERSTANDING AND RESOLUTION.

Otherwise…

DROP IT.

Prayer :

Father God, help me become a peacemaker. Give me wisdom to know when to speak and when to let something go. Help me control my anger, my emotions, and my tongue. Forgive me for the times I’ve added wood to a fire that should have gone out. Keep me from carrying gossip, provoking others, or arguing just to prove my point. Lord, give me the maturity to choose peace.

In Jesus’ name, Amen. 🙏🏽💙

⸻

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