Proverbs 25:8-10

Do not go out hastily to litigation,
or what will you do afterward
when your neighbor puts you to shame?
When you argue a case with your neighbor,
do not reveal the secret of another person,
lest the one who hears it put you to shame
and your infamy will never go away.

In our society, I think there’s a tendency to rush to the courts a little too quickly. If you spend anytime at home during the day and you turn on your TV, you see there are now 4 or 5 or 6 different courtroom TV shows that now air. Every channel has their own version, and some have more than one. There’s Judge Mathis, Judge Joe Brown, The People’s court, Divorce Court, Judge Judy, Judge Hatchett, Judge Lane, Judge Maria Lopez, Judge David Young, and I’m sure I’m still missing some.

You don’t have to watch these shows for very long to realize that people go to court over really ridiculous things. If you want to be depressed about our culture, watch courtroom TV. If you need to be convinced of the depravity of man, watch courtroom TV. I thought I’d turn on the TV to see what case might be on at the moment, just to prove my case. And I can. On Divorce court, there is a couple wanting to get divorced. The wife is convinced the husband has been unfaithful. And he just admitted to have four one year olds. And they’re not quadruplets.

The problem is, we are too afraid to deal with the problem on our own. I imagine it’s because we’re afraid of confrontation and it’s easier to talk poorly about someone to a third person than it is to their face. So, because we’re not man enough to deal with the problem the right way, we’ve filled the courts with trivial cases that should have and probably could have been solved with a simple conversation and an apology.

These people most surely go down in infamy. Among their circle of friends, I’m sure they are now known as the “People’s court couple.” I’m sure they’re known for their stupidity and the ridiculous things they said on the show. That’s not the kind of fame you want.

Instead, let’s be adults and solve our problems face to face. Start by talking to the person. Then if that doesn’t work, find a non-partial third party to bring in to help. Going to court shouldn’t be the first option. It should be the last option.