Wisdom Wednesday: Let’s Avoid Strife – It’s the Wise Thing to Do!

Most of the time, the smartest thing you can do is skip the drama.

I used Canva to make this peaceful photo.

I’m excited to announce my new “Wisdom Wednesday” posts! Every week, I’ll be sharing some thoughts that encourage us to live out the wisdom found in God’s Word.

As I reflected on my Sunday post, it prompted me to think about the importance of avoiding strife. It’s not always as easy as it sounds.

If you read my Sunday post, you know that strife was a big issue in preparing for our weekend RV trip. Heading out for a Christian gathering with the MEGA theme—Make Evangelism Great Again—while battling contention with my husband, Tommy, was counterproductive, to say the least. The whole purpose of our trip was to gather, fellowship, and grow in faith. Yet, there we were, tangled in petty disagreements, making it hard to focus on the true purpose of our trip.

Now, I’m not proud of it, but I’m sure many of you can relate. Strife seems to have a way of sneaking in. Whether it’s over something trivial (like the timing of getting the RV ready) or something deeper (like differences in how we approach challenges), it can throw a wrench in the works.

Here’s the thing: strife doesn’t do anyone any good. In fact, the more we allow it to take root, the more damage it does—not only to our relationships but also to our own peace of mind. Sadly, it’s an inevitable part of life we must fight hard to avoid. However, it is the wise thing to do. The Bible has a lot to say about it, and I think it’s worth paying attention to.

Take a look at Proverbs 20:3:
“It is an honor for a man to stay out of a fight. Only fools insist on quarreling.”
Ouch! Well, that’s a direct hit. But in a good way. It’s an honor to stay out of fights. I mean, who doesn’t want to be seen as wise, right? In the heat of the moment, it can be tough to resist the urge to argue, especially when emotions are high, and pride gets in the way. But if we really want to live in peace and reflect God’s love, we have to recognize when it’s time to walk away from a fight.

Proverbs 17:14 brings even more clarity:
“It is hard to stop a quarrel once it starts, so don’t let it begin.”
This really hit home for me. Last week, I knew that saying what I just had to get off my chest wasn’t going to lead to a peaceful conversation. Instead, it sparked a disagreement that simmered discontent between us. I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. The damage was done, and we both felt it. It was a great example of why we shouldn’t let a quarrel begin in the first place. If I’d listened to the Holy Spirit’s prompting and kept quiet, we could’ve avoided a lot of strife.

Proverbs 15:18 reminds us that:
“A hot-tempered person starts fights; a cool-tempered person stops them.”
Oh, the challenge of keeping a cool head! But it’s so much better when we can. I know it’s not easy, especially when frustration builds. But taking a moment to pause and gather your thoughts can change the entire direction of a conversation. It’s one of the wisest things we can do when it feels like strife is creeping in.

Finally, Romans 12:18 offers a powerful command:
“Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.”
That’s the goal, right? To live in peace, to be peacemakers, especially as we share God’s love with others. But living in peace doesn’t always come naturally. It takes effort. It takes intentionality. Sometimes, it takes swallowing our pride and choosing kindness over being “right.”

So, what’s the takeaway here? Strife doesn’t lead to anything good. It robs us of our peace and strains relationships—whether it’s with our spouses, family members, or even friends. And when we’re on a mission to spread God’s love and message, it’s counterproductive to let conflict rule the day.

The next time you feel the tension building, remember these verses. Take a step back, breathe, and ask yourself if this disagreement is worth it. Is it worth the stress? Is it worth the strain on your peace? Probably not.

At the end of the day, we all want to be wise. We all want to be peacemakers. So, let’s do what we can to keep strife at bay and let peace rule the day instead.

Did you let strife in the door recently? Feel free to share your story. We can all learn from others’ mistakes. It makes us human. 😉

Until Sunday, may your week be full of wisdom, peace, and laughter. Let’s all do our part to make evangelism (and life in general) great again, one peaceful moment at a time.