The Best Way to Prevent a Flood is to Control the Water
The same is true with a quarrel.
When you think about destructive weather, you probably think of a tornado or hurricane. Did you know that neither of these causes the most damage?
Floods are the most damaging extreme weather event.
A flood can destroy a large area within a matter of minutes - and it’s just water. But when water starts flowing out of control, very few things can stand in the way.
Solomon wrote that a quarrel is similar to a flood.
The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts. (Proverbs 17:14)
Thankfully, dams don’t break very often. But when they do - the damage is catastrophic. The beginning of strife is similar. You don’t realize the damage caused by strife until it’s out of control.
The answer to preventing strife from causing destruction is to stop fighting before it goes too far.
Knowing the damage caused by quarrels, it’s not surprising to discover that the Lord’s servant must not get caught up in behaving like this.
And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26)
People who are looking for a fight are not behaving like their Master. Watch out for the warning signs and “stop contention” before it gets out of control.