The "Pugnacious" Christian

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. (1 Timothy 3:1-3 ESV).

It’s not a great revelation of a hidden truth when I confess I am an Aggie. In fact, unless this is the first time you have read anything I have authored, you may be giggling a bit at any thought otherwise. So, it should not be a surprise that I might be surprised at the recent brawl involving Myles Garrett, a former Aggie great. He has never given the impression of aggressive or impulsive actions. Well, the full story has been fully reported, and I am not concerned about assigning blame or debating the consequences. Both Garrett and Rudolf have acknowledged their roles in the inappropriate behavior. It does bring me to think about how we, as believers, should behave in general. Thus I have titled this devotional The Pugnacious Christian. The word “pugnacious” is defined by Meriam-Webster as “having a quarrelsome or combative nature.” The best Greek equivalent is used by the Apostle Paul in our reading today. The ESV translates it as “quarrelsome” (v. 3) in the apostle’s description of the character of the “overseer.” I would say that Jesus’ temptation expands the principle to all believers (cf. Matthew 4:1-11). I suppose the entire motivation behind my writing today is to encourage all of us to be much more restrained in our communication. Since the emergence of the internet and social media we have never been more “connected” to others. With that comes greater responsibility. I also believe we have never been more pugnacious. Can we all agree that it is not a good look on the believer? Further, can we also agree that it serves no good purpose? The degenerative practice of resorting to ridicule or denigration of those we philosophically disagree with simply does no good. It may even do harm. That’s certainly true in our relationships with those whom we love. Go with me to the example of Jesus cited above. Jesus was unconcerned with proving his divinity, in any sense, even when Satan or the religious gatekeepers tempted him to do so. He instead lived his divinity through his convictions and works, in which he relationally engaged with others, both with his disciples and those he encountered through moments in time. There is always room for respectful exchange of our values and beliefs. Jesus never resorted to personal attacks. Even with the scathing condemnation of the Pharisees (cf. Matthew 23) he dealt with behavior as he encouraged others to follow a better example of living: Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do.” (Matthew 23:2-3 ESV). Like Jesus we should seek to live our theology such that Jesus’ divinity does not have to be proven but felt, and related to, through our own conversations, works, and relational engagements.