High Profile Arguments

I don’t know where the quote came from; I just know that I LOVE it. 

“You don’t have to attend every argument that you are invited to.”  I have printed this out and it is on my fridge- with a 3 year old and an almost 2 year old- this is a vital concept to grasp!

I can’t tell you the number of fights that I have been part of, or even started.  Fights in person are bad, but e-mail or any social media, seems to be really nasty and what is worse, is it is out there for everyone to see!  It isn’t a private matter on a social media and with e-mail, the e-mails can be forwarded or bcc-ed.  It is interesting to see it happening – especially when it is on my personal page.

The two issues that really get people going seems to be politics and parenting.  People are so dead set on their ways in both that if you put up something that goes against what someone believes, you will hear about it for sure. Most recently I made the mistake of posting something as a joke about how if people knew how corrupt Illinois really was, they might have thought harder before casting their vote for Obama.

When I was younger my parents made us sit around and memorize the beatitudes as a family.  Back in the day, it was nice to sit around and do Bible stuff with them, but today, it is so wonderful to have that knowledge in my heart.  Granted, I have lost a lot of the verses and have to look at them, but I knew their main points. 

The Beatitudes are found in Matthew 5 verses 1-12.  Verse 9 says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”  Now for “peacemaker”, I am not saying that you have to agree, or turn away when something is wrong or someone is doing wrong.  I want to make crystal clear that is not the intention for this verse.  But lets look at it in reality.

No matter what you are going to cause conflict in your lifetime.  You may not want to, but you are.  There is nothing that you or I will ever do that will make everyone happy.  I have recently been working as an event planner and I also volunteer for a committee at my church, I have also planned many weddings in my day.  Believe me, as an event planner, you can NEVER make everyone happy!!  The one that you want to be sure is happy though, is your boss!  (i.e. God)

All of us are going to cause conflicts and people to be upset at some point and time, but we need to be sure we are watching what we do and watching what we say.  ESPECAILLY on social media where people can’t tell the inflection of our voices.  “Blessed are the peacemakers”…  I am not saying that you shouldn’t argue for what is right, what is pure, what is noble. 

Philippians (another section of the Bible we memorized together) 4:8 says, “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things.”

So honestly, do we think that we are going to change the opinions of someone that we know without talking to them face to face?  We might – they know us, they know how we think and talk.  Do we think that we are going to change the opinions of someone that we DON’T know without talking with them face to face?  Nope!  We are just going to make them angered and they are going to see we are Christians or find out, and what kind of example is that?  I think when it comes to politics I am just going to steer clear of it on facebook and e-mail.  Even if it is just joking.  I, personally, try to steer clear of it in normal conversation also.  Everyone has their own opinion and it isn’t up to me to change their minds on it, unless it is unbiblical, it is up to God. 

So if someone brings up something that goes directly against the word of God – yes, then I will choose to get involved, but if someone brings up something that goes against my opinions, I am not going to argue it with them on a social media, feelings get hurt and people get mad and angered- I am going to pray in that situation.  Pray about what to do- if I know that person (and if they are on my social media, I usually do), I might call them and talk with them voice to voice or I might meet with them face to face.  If someone asks my opinon as a Christian, then they will get it for sure.  I might blog about it too- and when it comes to Christ, I will fight it out every time – He is worth it.  Maybe if I were in a higher profile position it would matter more, but as a normal, every day kind of person...  When it comes to politics, am I going to waste my time, effort and energy on it?  You have to pick and choose your battles-

“You don’t have to attend every argument that you are invited to”…  (my addition) – JUST the important, life changing ones.