This literary form known as parallelism is throughout portions of Scripture, especially in Proverbs. It may appear to be contradictory but in reality verse five builds on verse four. What this is essentially teaching us is that we cannot stoop down to the level of the foolish argument - we cannot get into the quarrel. Yet at the same time, the fools argument cannot be left unchallenged. How do you respond to foolishness? With wisdom. How do you respond to ignorance? With the truth. The foolish or ignorant make their statement - you correct it and move on. The fool or the one who operates out of a place of ignorance desires the conflict because it muddies the water. State the truth and trust that God will not allow His Word to not accomplish the purpose for which it was set forth.
The second caveat in the definition of being the Lord's servant in these situations is that we are kind to everyone. Wow - doesn't this grate against the flesh! Who wants to be kind to their opponent? Who wants to be kind to someone they want to argue with and prove wrong? But we do not serve our flesh anymore but the Lord. As His servant we are His ambassador. If you have a Jesus fish on the back of your car then you have given up your right to cut people off! If you claim to represent Christ then you have given up your right to quarrel because we are supposed to be kind to everyone.
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. - Ephesians 4: 31-32 (ESV)
Beloved, we are to treat people remembering how God treated us in our own ignorance and foolishness! That He died for us while we were still sinners against Him! It is difficult but we must remember that it is not about the person arguing. It is not about ourselves. It is always about Him. Even if we cannot sway the foolish or the ignorant, let them remember us for our kindness.
For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. - 1Peter 2: 15 (ESV)
The third portion of the definition of being a servant for the Lord in these situations is that we must be able to teach. Teaching conveys that we make our points in a teachable manner. The people we speak to should never feel as if we are talking at them or over them. Teaching is done with a pastoral heart. We ought to be concerned about the person and their state of salvation. It matters not whether they are in the church or not. Many in the church are sitting under strong deception and have been tricked by the devil into thinking they are saved when they most certainly are not. They need a kind and teachable voice to say the truth about God. Maybe they will not come out of their darkness that day but the seeds we plant may be watered by someone else before God gives the increase.
Fourthly we are to patiently endure evil. God never said this was going to be easy. I know for myself personally when I hear or see false doctrine I want to get up in arms. I want to set the record straight. When I approach the situation that way the quarrel that follows usually saps whatever patience I have right away. Then the statements go from helpful to accusatory. From righteous to prideful. It eventually becomes about us instead of about God. Instead of kindness we represent the Lord like a bully. Don't think for a second that it is lost on those watching. On the unsaved or those who are babes in Christ. We can delude ourselves all day long that our anger is righteous but deep down we know it is all about us.
The fifth and last caveat of this definition of a servant of God during situations such as this is that we must correct our opponents gently. It would only make sense that if we are operating as servants of God in lovingkindness that even our correction would be gentle. When the woman was caught in adultery and the Pharisees brought her to Jesus we see Jesus never deviate from the truth. Never compromise the truth. But He also made His point gently and allowed God to do the rest. "Let him who is without sin..." and "Go and sin no more." The sobering truth today is that we do not need to smack people over the head with the Bible - saved or otherwise. It was not designed to be a blunt weapon:
