Picking a Fight

When I was a boy growing up, my mom and dad taught me not to fight. For the most part, I lived in harmony with those instructions. However, I had a neighbor who was always doing “mean” things to me. Yet, because of what my parents taught me, I endured his behavior.
Well, one day, my mom happened to be looking out the window when this boy was tormenting me, and she called me in the house and revised the instruction she gave me about fighting. She told me that while I was not to “pick fights” with other boys, I did need to stand up for myself. Well, that’s all the encouragement I needed to hear. I promptly went back outside and “beat up” my neighbor.
Looking back, I don’t think I understood exactly what my mom was telling me. Defending myself was one thing, going off, looking for a fight was quite another.
In a similar vein, did you know that God authorizes us to “fight” (1 Timothy 6:12), “wage war” (1 Timothy 1:18), “contend” (Jude 3), and “wrestle” (Ephesians 6:12) for truth’s sake? However, just like the instruction from my mom, God’s instruction is not to be understood as permission to pick a fight and quarrel with others (2 Timothy 2:23-24. Romans 12:18).
The next time you’re tempted to get into a spat with someone, ask yourself if you’re defending the faith or picking a fight. Are you really seeking the good of the kingdom, or seeking an opportunity to “bop” someone? There’s a difference. One is honorable, the other is shameful. Give it some thought.
“It is honorable for a man to stop striving since any fool can start a quarrel” (Proverbs 20:3).