Whine vs. Wine

Foolishness is becoming pervasive today. You see it in the news media and on social media. Almost everyone has an opinion on what is going wrong. They are whining, complaining, and critical, but cannot offer any real lasting solutions. It’s hard to find someone being kind and encouraging. The whiners only go on and on and on and on because they know they are right. Just ask them, they will happily tell you. (See my post on Sense of Entitlement much?)

If you try to engage them in a reasonable discussion, they just get louder and more belligerent as if to say, “How dare you question my authority?” Because being louder certainly makes you want to listen to their point of view all the more. (Yes I know, that is dripping with sarcasm.) They hope to suck you in to their anger because it gives them power over you and your emotions. And that seems to be what they need to thrive because they just don’t know better or were never taught how to behave. Don’t be fooled and become foolish too.

Solomon, King David’s son, mostly wrote the book of Proverbs, 2989 years ago. Guess what? There were fools around then too!

“Don’t walk around with a chip on your shoulder always spoiling for a fight. Don’t try to be like those who shoulder their way through life. Why be a bully? ‘Why not?’ you say. Because God can’t stand twisted souls. It is the straightforward who get his respect.” (Prov. 3:30-32 [MSG])

“Evil people are restless unless they’re making trouble; they can’t get a good night’s sleep unless they’ve made life miserable for somebody. Perversity is their food and drink. Violence is their drug of choice.” (Prov. 4:16-17 [MSG])

“If you reason with an arrogant cynic, you’ll get slapped in the face; confront bad behavior and get a kick in the shins. So don’t waste your time on a scoffer; all you’ll get for your pains is abuse.” (Prov. 9:7-8 [MSG])

“Fools have short fuses and explode all too quickly…” (Prov. 12:16a [MSG])

“Fools care nothing for thoughtful discourse; all they do is run off at the mouth.” (Prov. 18:2 [MSG])

“Don’t hang out with angry people; don’t keep company with hotheads. Bad temper is contagious—don’t get infected.” (Prov. 22:24-25 [MSG])

“ Don’t bother talking sense to fools; they’ll only poke fun at your words.” (Prov. 23:9 [MSG])

I’m sure everyone has had encounter with someone like this in their lifetime. It is very heart-breaking to try and speak reasonably with someone, who for whatever reason, just doesn’t care to do so. Sometimes they need a wake up call. How? We need to be the salt and the light. We need to be the shining example. Sometimes we just need to be quiet, being the example, hoping and praying that they will come to see the love of Jesus.

“Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.” (Prov. 1:7 [MSG])

Jesus is the key to unlocking their foolishness. “And he took the cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, ‘Each of your drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.” (Matt. 26:27-28 [NLT])

So don’t be a whiner, always complaining in a childish way, but accept what the blood (wine) of Jesus did for you.

“So let them curse me if they want, but I know you will bless me. All their efforts to destroy me will fail, but I will succeed and be glad.” (Ps. 106:28 [TPT])

It is not easy my friends. It is hard not to respond in kind, but we need to be the grownups in those situations, setting boundaries and relying on the power of God to help us overcome and lead by example. So stay salty and shiny friends!

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