Monday, February 17th

 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.  Proverbs 17:14

..as when one letteth out water...what does that mean? The best example I can give is that of the water draining after a bath.  If you have a deep tub of water, when the water first begins draining, it's not even evident from the surface.  Before long, there's a little tornado-like tunnel of water swirling down the drain.  And, what happens when the tub is nearly empty?  The draining water increases speed and because of the air pocket, a whistling sound can be heard?  The Scripture compares this scenario of water draining to the beginning of an argument.  Just as the water emptying can't really be observed from the surface in the beginning, when we choose to argue and fuss, we can't really see the damage it will cause to our relationships.  It doesn't take long for a tub to be drained, and neither does it take very long to see the effects of strife on a relationship.  The more water that drains, the faster the rest of the water empties.  Such is the way with strife.  What begins as a small disagreement can quickly escalate into something that neither party ever intended.  The Lord tells us to leave off contention, before it be meddled with; in other words, don't allow a minor disagreement to blow up into something that cannot be controlled.  How do you stop the water that is quickly spiraling down the drain?  You put the drain plug in the opening.  How do you stop an escalating, volatile argument?  Leave it alone.  You don't continue to bicker just to have the last word or to prove your point.  

Being argumentative does not make you right; in fact, even if your argument has merit, being contentious makes you look wrong.   

Scripture Reading for the Day:

Proverbs 17

I John 5