People who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof promotes peace (NLT). From The Message: An evasive eye is a sign of trouble ahead, but an open, face-to-face meeting results in peace.
Most people I have known seem to try to avoid trouble. If someone insults them, or wrongs them in some smaller way, they think they are doing the right thing, the Christian thing, but just letting it slide. If your intention is to forgive and forget, to extend grace to that person, then this might be the right path to take. If you are simply avoiding confrontation because you are afraid, or don’t care enough about the person to help them out, then it is the wrong path to take.
It is easy to err towards one extreme ot the other. I have known people who simply enjoy telling other people where they are wrong and they are contantly confronting someone about something. I don’t like hanging out with people like that, and I eventually end up tuning out their reproofs.
On the other hand, I have known people that take offense at something I have said or done, and instead of confronting me on it, it becomes a poisonous gossip fest of talking behind my back. This is probably the worst case and this path leads to friendships being damaged, or in some cases permanently destroyed.
When my attitude is concern for the other person, and putting the other person first, it is easier for me to discern between when to confront, and when to extend grace and forgive. Back-biting and cowardly gossip should never be an option for me, and i have to fight hard against that easy way out.
