Proverbs 26:17 Getting involved in an argument that is none of your business is like going down the street and grabbing a dog by the ears.

Kevin got a dog for his birthday. A big Chocolate Labrador Retriever. He is a big brown dog who is only dangerous in the fact that he might maul you to death with affection. He is also an escape artist. In the week we've had him, he's escaped four times. He broke a harness while we were on a walk, tunneled under the fence, jumped over the fence, slipped past Kevin and I as we were walking in the gate. Having us try to catch him is a big game for him so we don't run. We just walk calmly and keep calling him. He'll let us get close enough to almost grab him and then he'll dart off into someone else's yard. When he has run through enough yards and starts getting tired, he will finally let us grab him and take him back home. Then we get to go back and clean up any messes he left behind.

Even though this dog is very sweet, good with kids, and not at all dangerous, I would never try to grab him by his ears to drag him back home. That would be very painful for the dog and he would naturally bite back. That's the same way it is when we get involved in an argument that is none of our business. One or both people in the argument are likely to turn on us. It is never wise to take sides in someone else's fight. This is especially true at work, in church, in the neighborhood, or even in families where the arguing people are adults. All of those areas can quickly become divided and the hurt can last for years. The best a person can do is stay back and pray for God to intervene. There will always be someone who will try to drag you into the fight, but never let yourself fall into that trap, or you will find yourself being hurt along with everyone else in the fight.

For some people this is really hard to do. These people spend their days looking for ways to get involved in the business of others. They just have too much time on their hands. If they were busy taking care of their own business they wouldn't have time to worry about everyone else. 2 Thessalonians says it quite well.

2Thessalonians 3:11,12 We say this because we hear that there are some people among you who live lazy lives and who do nothing except meddle in other people's business. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we command these people and warn them to lead orderly lives and work to earn their own living.

Take care of your own business and if you're able-bodied get a job and concentrate on doing your best at the job. If we put our energy into keeping our lives in order and doing our best in our work, we wouldn't have time or energy to get involved in the business of others. Serving God never means to meddle. It just means being there to help a person in need, and to live in a way that others can see God in our lives by our actions, not by trying to correct the lives of those around us.

Staying out of the business of others also keeps us from wasting time and energy playing the martyr or the injured person when someone gets angry at our meddling.

1Peter 4:15 If you suffer, it must not be because you are a murderer or a thief or a criminal or a meddler in other people's affairs.

Keep your eyes off of others and focus on God and what He wants for your life. He has so much to offer us if we would just pay attention to Him.