by Justin Morton
You have plenty of them and so do I. No, I’m not talking about struggles; I am talking about opinions. Many years ago I heard a saying that has stuck with me ever since: “Opinions are like armpits, everyone has a couple and they usually stink.” I am not sure where I first heard this, but that statement is something I have never forgotten. In today’s world, people’s opinions are everywhere and how we respond to them matters more than ever.
With the technology we have available at our fingertips, anyone can share their thoughts for the whole world to read. Sometimes we may agree with what we read or hear from others. Other times, we do not. But regardless of our agreement, everyone has the right to their opinion.
The real challenge is how we respond to the thoughts and opinions of others. Too often we allow the opinions of others to get under our skin, affect our mood, and cause us to feel the need to respond. And then, with fingers typing faster than we can think or with words coming out of our mouth before we can process what we are saying, we say things that can hurt, demean and cause great harm to those who read or hear our reply.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to a higher standard. The apostle Paul reminds us to “Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness…” (2 Timothy 2:23-25). Did you notice what Paul said? The Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone. This seems to be a forgotten quality for some servants of God today.
We must never forget our purpose as followers of Jesus. We want to make other followers of Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20). Sometimes we hear or read someone’s opinion, and we lose our cool and get involved in “foolish” controversies. Brethren, this can be quite destructive when it comes to winning souls. As Christians, we represent Jesus and should never respond in a way that could harm His great and holy name.
The wise man said that a fool is quick to quarrel (Proverbs 20:3). I don’t want to be considered a fool, do you? Friends, the next time you are tempted to jump into an argument, whether that be in public or behind a keyboard, pause and remember you represent the King of Kings. Others are watching to see how we respond. Let us all strive to be known not for quarrels but for our wise responses in a world of opinions.