The impassioned cries of a man are heroic to some, but villainous to others. However, Jesus said of all words:
“Wisdom is vindicated by her deeds” (Matthew 11:19).
The world has its own priorities. What a Christian believes to be destructive to society, an unbeliever may see as being productive in his cause. In fact, the unbeliever is not averse to using the Christian’s scruples to support his evil. The only thing that I see as surprising about this is that Christians continue to be surprised—what do we expect?
Trying to reason with an ungodly man has an inbuilt problem: You care, and he doesn’t!
Thus, going toe-to-toe with someone whose philosophy is, “The Survival of the Fittest,” is not going to end well. As much as debate can bring truth to new ears, it can also be “throwing pearls before swine.”
In the heat of the moment, Christians can find themselves joining in The Game of Survival. Unchecked passion takes over and they tear down rather than build up. Proverbs 12:18 says it best:
“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
In all circumstances we must be found wise. For it is in speaking wisdom that we bring the healing of our Lord.
This world is awash with lies and deception. Finding a person whose every word is designed to heal rather than hurt stands out. The contrast is immediately apparent:
“When wise people speak, they make knowledge attractive, but stupid people spout nonsense” (Proverbs 15:2).
I am not suggesting that Christians cannot be taken in by the nonsense of the world. However, assuming a teachable heart is present, the Lord will give them the wisdom they need to discern sense from nonsense.
John Staiger