Contemplative Bible Reading

2 Timothy 2:14 (New Living Translation)

14 Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them.

“Them’s fight’n words” is a famous expression, or its used to be.

Let’s see, we shouldn’t argue over the meaning of words. What about words in the Bible? Are they important enough to “argue” over?

Let’s read further. The next few sentences discuss “correctly explaining the word of truth.” Well, ahem, I know the word of truth and I am explaining it correctly and if you disagree then you don’t understand the truth and you are not as good as me and … whatever else I can say that makes me feel good and you feel bad.

Oh, perhaps not.

A couple of sentences later we have,

Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior.

Do my words lead to godless behavior? If so, my words are useless arguments that ruin those who hear them. The discussion (argument) can continue endlessly. My words lead to godly behavior. Your words are godless. Simple, huh?

Not so simple. Not so favorable to me at all times. There are times when Christians disagree over words. There are many times when Christians disagree with non-Christians over words. Am I moving towards God? If not, I need to stop and pray for wisdom.