Replying with Wisdom

Published: Feb. 2, 2021, midnight

b'We\\u2019ve all seen it: a discussion going quickly from friendly to heated in the comments section. Even other Christians on social media can be rude, quick to argue, and mean-spirited.\\nWhen someone insults you, is your initial desire to offer a worse insult? Mine frequently is. The world encourages us to lean into selfishness and pride. It encourages us to always put ourselves first\\u2014to put down others if they put us down, to react in kind if they started it.\\nBut Jesus calls us to a radically different way. When the people around Him spat on Him and mocked Him, He was silent. He wasn\\u2019t putting Himself first. He could have chosen to avoid suffering, but, instead, He chose to die on a cross for our sins. He could have called down angels to rescue and avenge Him, to bring immediate judgment down on the heads of His persecutors, saying, \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153You refuse to believe Me? Here\\u2019s some proof you can\\u2019t deny.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nIn Christ, we turn the other cheek when someone is unkind to us (Matthew 5:39). Now, turning the other cheek doesn\\u2019t mean we shouldn\\u2019t share our beliefs. Jesus never apologized for reproaching sin and preaching the gospel. But it does mean we need to be loving in our conversations and disagreements. We shouldn\\u2019t trade insults, name-call, or be pridefully obsessed with winning arguments and having \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153gotcha!\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d moments. And if what we\\u2019re arguing about isn\\u2019t something God tells us is right or wrong, maybe it\\u2019s an argument we need to let go. When we disagree, it\\u2019s important to remember Christ\\u2019s humility (Philippians 2:3-11).\\nOne day, every word spoken will be accounted for before God (Matthew 12:36). Any unkind or scornful words spoken will be dealt with\\u2014by God Himself! That\\u2019s His job, not ours. Instead, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we as Christians are called to honor God, sharing the good news with our words and how we say them (Luke 12:11-12). \\u2022 Jessica Kleeberger\\n\\u2022 When was a time someone spoke to you rudely and you were tempted to respond in kind? How did you respond? \\n\\u2022 As Christians, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are called to \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d (James 1:19). When you\\u2019re tempted to respond unkindly in a disagreement, how can you apply this verse to your life?\\nMy dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. James 1:19 (CSB)\\n\\xa0\\nRead Verses:\\nProverbs 15:1, 18, 28; Romans 12:19; 1 Peter 2:23'