I remember walking into the break room at work once. There were 4 guys arguing about the Bible. I walked by them and grabbed my lunch and went and sat across the break room. One guy asked me, “ain’t you going to get involved in that?” I said, pointing at the group, “That? No I’m not. They look foolish and I know better than to walk into a bobcat fight and grab a tail.” You see, you don’t have to participate in every fight that you’re invited to.
With that thought in mind I want to talk about David. You know David the Giant killer. In 1 Samuel 17:28 Eliab, David’s brother verbally attacked David. David only gives Eliab a one verse response then turns away from him, ignoring his actions. In verse 33 Saul questions David’s abilities. David gives a quick list of how God has already helped him defeat other impossible situations. Then we all know the rest, David goes out and fights Goliath and wins.
My point here is, if many of us had been David we may have never got to fight the giant because we would have been too busy fighting with Eliab or Saul.
If we are not careful instead of fighting the good fight of faith we’ll be fighting every other fight. The Word tells us in 1 Timothy 6:12 (KJV) Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. In the previous verse it says for us to follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness (1 Timothy 6:11 KJV). If we’re following after these things then we’re not going to be fighting unnecessary fights.
We have to reach a point in our lives where we can dismiss arguments that aren’t important. Yes, what they said may be hurtful and wrong. That doesn’t mean we have to participate in the argument. We can be the bigger person and walk away. Oftentimes it takes a stronger person to walk away from a fight than to stay and fight.
So I will reiterate that you don’t have to participate in every fight you’re invited to. If you do, you may not fulfill what God has for you. Instead choose to fight the good fight.
1 Peter 3 NLT 9 Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.
Matthew 5:44 KJV But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;