Proverbs 17:14: “Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.”
It’s better to show grace and move on than to start a fight that will lead to destruction.
A breaching dam is no joke. My hometown flooded, and it was absolutely devastating. Homes were destroyed, families were displaced, and infrastructures were obliterated. Breaching a dam causes people to be hurt and displaced, and there is no quick fix.
A quarrel is a fight that gets heated over trivial issues. They’re unnecessarily dramatic and cause long-term harm and pain that is challenging to restore. To say starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam shows the severity of conflict. The Bible tells us to graciously look beyond the little things so that we don’t strain relationships with unrelenting criticisms, arguments, and hurt.
Are you finding yourself in vast amounts of drama and strained relationships lately? Take a step back. Are you opening the floodgates by demanding perfection and refusing to look graciously beyond others’ mistakes?