IGNORE THE ARGUERS AND MANIPULATORS
The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” (John 8:5 NLT)
How do you react when you’re provoked? In this passage, the religious people wanted to provoke Jesus to argue and start controversy, but what was his response?
First, he ignored them and instead began writing in the dirt.
They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. (John 8:6 NLT)
Second, he wisely diminished the intensity of the provokers’ question. Since they kept insisting on making him speak, he didn’t answer what they had asked him. He simply said something along the lines of, well, if you insist, then.
They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. (John 8:7-8 NLT).
Second, he wisely diminished the intensity of the provokers’ question. Since they kept insisting on making him speak, he didn’t answer what they had asked him. He simply said something along the lines of, well, if you insist, then.
They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. (John 8:7-8 NLT).
The answer was, that everyone started retreating one by one.
Lesson: It’s not worth it to waste our energy with controversial people. Many times, the best way to avoid getting involved in controversy is to ignore the provoking of ill-intentioned people. Other times, the best thing to do is to use wisdom to revert the manipulative questions back to them and make them answer themselves.
Choose wisely which battles are worth fighting and which to ignore. Daily seek to have intimacy with God, because then you will remain with the fruits of the Holy Spirit, so when provoking comes, you won’t react badly.
The law of Moses says to stone her.
What do you say? (John 8:5 NLT)
Think about it:
How do you react when you are provoked?
What has happened in the past when you badly reacted to others’ provoking?
What will you do from now on to avoid unnecessary discussions?
