God goes further though in these key verses by distinguishing between foolish and stupid arguments; imploring us to avoid both because they lead to quarrels. The dictionary defines stupid as:
Lacking ordinary quickness and keenness of mind; dull. Annoying or irritating; troublesome.
Stupid arguments go beyond lacking caution and having no real substantive purpose. Stupid arguments go beyond the ordinarily foolish. Have you ever found yourself arguing about something that literally doesn't even make sense? Have you ever had to deal with someone who was so argumentative that it seems that is all they do, disagree? You say up and they say down. You say the sky is blue and they say it is really "sky blue." The content of the disagreement is not just insignificant; it is dull, annoying, and irritating. That is a stupid argument. Proverbs again warns us:
He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin. Proverbs 13:3
So we should avoid the foolish and stupid arguments we
encounter in life because we know they will lead to quarrels. We know that
quarrels are marked by the loss of a friendship or fellowship. The key verses
go on to remind us that as the Lord's servant, we are not to quarrel. Instead,
we must be kind to everyone, able to teach and not be resentful. Let's take a
look at a famous disagreement from the Old Testament. In the 13th
chapter of Genesis, we see Abram and
Now
What was the great problem that caused such division amongst
the herdsmen of Abram and
So
Abram said to
