“A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a castle…The beginning of strife is like releasing water; therefore, stop contention before a quarrel starts…It is honorable for a man to stop striving, since any fool can start a quarrel” (Proverbs 18:19, 17:14; 20:3).
This trio of proverbs explain why strife, contention, and quarrels ought to be aborted immediately after their possible conception. These nuclear weapons of personal interaction leave a landscape of mass destruction. Harsh, bitter, contentious words can be apologized for, but the brutal scars and soul-sickening hurt rarely go away. The wall of separation and alienation they erect may never be breached or broken down.
In light of the annihilation that strife and contentions cause, abort a quarrel immediately. Shut up. Get up. Leave the scene.
A bitter quarrel is like pouring water on the ground. It is going to soak in instantly, and you will never be able to get any of it back once the water hits the soil.
Aborting immediately is not an act of cowardice or folly. It is an act of honor and respect. It is a virtuous example of self-control. It is the epitome of wisdom.
Any fool can start a quarrel and cause irreparable damage; it takes a wise person to abort it immediately.
