Have you ever heard the fictional tale of Hans Brinker? The story is a parable about a Dutch boy who discovers a small, trickling leak in a dike, and plugs it with his finger for an entire night until help arrives. The lesson of the parable is that catastrophes often start with small trickles. The boy saves the town from catastrophe by plugging the leak before it can expand, burst the dike, and flood the town.

Quarrels are like the leak in the dike in the parable. Quarrels seldom begin as a catastrophe. Quarrels typically start as small disagreements that lead to arguments. When we insist on being right we only feed into it.

Solomon wisely encourages us to stop quarrels before they start. One way we do that is by choosing forgiveness. Another way we do it is by not insisting on being right. When we choose to let go of offenses we show the wisdom of restraint. Before the pressure builds choose to let it go.

1. What offenses do you need to let go that are threatening to break the floodgates and lead to conflict?

2. Letting go of offenses does not mean we ignore injustice or avoid necessary conversations. It means recognizing the difference between defending truth and defending ego. Look back at yesterday’s devotional reading and consider ways you can confront or injustice or have necessary conversations with a gentle spirit.