Why is it critically important to mind your own business?

Do you wonder why you end up in situations you didn’t want to be in?  It may be that you didn’t “mind your own business.”

“Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears” (Prov. 26: 17)

You don’t mess with a stray dog.  Leave it alone.  For goodness sake, don’t pick it up by the ears!

We are all guilty of injecting ourselves into someone else’s affairs.  The Bible calls it a “busybody.”

Here are some thoughts on how to stay out of another person’s quarrel:

1. You may think you are helping, but you may be hurting.

People get into quarrels because of their actions and words.  They have to take responsibility for them.

When you get involved, it may be taking that responsibility off them and putting it on YOU.

Let them learn to work through their quarrels, and they will grow up.

2.  You may get significantly wounded in the process.

A traffic cop who stands out in the middle of an intersection is very vulnerable.  He may be able to stop most of the traffic, but all it takes is one car to injure him.

Get out of the intersection.

Let people settle their differences.  If they ASK you to be a peacemaker, that is something else.  Usually, our problem is that we inject ourselves into the situation without their request.

Run away from a quarrel that is not your own.

3. Everyone has become involved in everyone else’s quarrels.

Social media has become a public forum for solving everyone else’s relational issues.  

Everyone makes deep social conflicts their business.  They make their private feelings about a subject very public.

It is causing quarrels to multiply exponentially.  It is “picking up a dog by the ears.”

Hold your comments about things rather than exploding with a rant in a moment of anger.  Settle down. It may be someone else’s quarrel.

4. Some things are not any of your business.

“Aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you” (1 Thess. 4:11).  All commenting should fit these three parameters:

--“Live quietly” means guarding your mouth (or your keyboard!).

--“Mind your own affairs” means to be careful with your opinions.

--“Work with your hands” means focusing on your own business and work.

I know you want to help everyone fix their issues.

They come to you and tell you about their conflicts with others.

Be a good listener.  Be a good empathizer.  Be a good prayer partner.  

Be very careful of being the “problem solver.”  Let them make their own moves and conversations.  Keep your personal opinions about the situation to yourself.

Whatever you do, don’t take that passing pit bull by the ears!