Leave the Pit Bull alone

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

LEAVE THE PIT BULL ALONE

Prov 26:17

17 Like one who seizes a dog by the ears is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own.

NIV

If we are not part of the problem and we are not part of the solution we do not need to know anything about it. That is a phrase we have stated before and am not sure where we heard it or if we were simply inspired to write it at one time. But that is the truth of this proverb. There is no reason for us to involve ourselves in the affairs of others who are quarreling or have a dispute with one another. It seems right to try to fix things we think are not right. When we are aware of a couple of our friends that are having some conflict it seems right to try to help them resolve it. The scripture tells us when someone sins against us we are to go to him in private and if he listens we have own him over, but if not then take someone with us and confront him again.  

Matt 18:15

15 "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.

NIV

But notice this is if he has sinned against us, we are one of the two people involved in the problem and it is right then for us to make every effort to resolve it. But if we are not part of this situation it is not our problem unless one of them comes to us and asks if we well be a witness

Matt 18:16

6 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.'

NIV.

Then and only then are we to be involved in this quarrel or dispute between two others. Now there is another scripture which speaks about someone who is found to be at fault or in sin.

Gal 6:1-2

6:1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

NIV

But again this is not a quarrel between two individuals which we have no business in. We could see this in the sense that this sin is an obvious sin, open and known as like when a brother or sister in Christ openly confesses they will never ever forgive someone for their behavior. This is a blatant conflict, or quarrel which has been made known to others. It is an ongoing conflict and yet even if we tell the one that it is not right, that forgiveness is the right answer, we best do that gently and only but once. We cannot get involved in the situation, becoming as it were a go between in an effort to resolve the crisis between this two people. We are to watch ourselves so that we do not take sides and become part of the conflict which would be our being tempted. Now on the other hand we also should not gossip about this conflict, as again it is not our conflict and we have no business in it. True we should at least make an effort to show our brother or sister their error in not forgiving, or whatever the conflict is about, but we cannot become part of it. Why would we grab hold of the ears of a pit bull, especially when it is engaged in a battle for its life with another pit bull?