Focus on What Matters

Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. 

2 Timothy 2:14

I have a tendency to engage myself in Facebook debate. This is especially evident lately because of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Malaysians are divided on their stands in this matter. It is a temptation too hard to resist. The blood-pumping and action-packed debate is what really keep me excited.

What I really did not realise is that, though my arguments may sound intellectual, they do not serve any purpose other than gratifying my lust to show off my intellect (which is poor and limited). Instead of bringing knowledge and enlightening people, I often find myself sucked into an endless exchange of emotional words that only serve to ruin people.

2 Timothy 2:14 serves as a very good reminder for me.

Paul was writing his second letter to Timothy, encouraging and exhorting him to continue his walk of faith despite his young age. At the time when the letter was written, the church led by Timothy had a certain dispute in doctrine and teaching. The disagreement among the believers led to division of the church and disunity. However, what Paul was able to see was that the disagreement among them was completely irrelevant quarrels. It was merely word fight that serve no purpose in correcting teaching but to serve one's ego.

In a Bible Study note written by Third Millennium Ministry, the author wrote:

Word fights seem so intellectual. Such arguing can be so nuanced and ego-puffing with its tangled subtleties. It can foster a kind of "theological discussion which is in the end purely verbal, having nothing to do with the realities of the Christian religion" (Kelly). Word fights are the feast of dilettantes. http://thirdmill.org/studybible/note.asp/id/42664

To simply put it, the church was quarrelling over things that do not matter. They are things that do not in anyway change the basic salvation of Christianity, but rather a hypocrite's way to display their ego and self-made wisdom. And these little things that do not matter distracts us from things that really matter.

Paul continued to write:

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 

2 Timothy 2:15

Paul redirected Timothy focus from the minutiae (minor things) to what is far more important for him. Those who "quarrel about words" seeks approval from men, but those who seeks to handle the word of truth, seeks the approval of God. Paul implied that it is far important to be approved by God than by men. Ultimately because God is truly the Master, not men. And those approved by God will not be put to shamed.

Quarrellers of words seeks the approval of men, but it is truly the rotten things that they seek. Paul described them as "gangrene", which means "rotten of flesh caused by lack of blood supply". Now gangrene spreads over the flesh and makes healthy flesh surrounding the wound to rot as well. In the same way that gangrene is caused by lack of blood supply, quarrels of words is caused by the lack of God in their mindsets, and it will cause surrounding believers to stumble and rot.

So therefore, in our dealings with arguments and disagreements daily, seek to be approved by God first, because His approval is far more important and glorious than self-exalting arguments of "intellect".