Proverbs 30: King James Bible
People who Cause Strife – Daily Devotion of Proverbs chapter thirty, Verse 33
33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
Daily Inspiration from This Verse – People who Cause Strife
Every result given to us in the verse above is brought forth by agitation. The churning, the wringing, and the forcing, is actively agitating the milk, the nose, and the wrath. These result in butter, blood, and strife.
People who cause strife as detailed in this verse are forcing wrath upon someone or perhaps a population. The idea of “forcing” wrath gives us the sense of a deliberate action. Butter doesn’t churn itself, and a nose doesn’t break without something breaking it.
This is different than an ugly dispute, or a circumstance where two parties are striving against each other for reasons that are right (at least in their own eyes). Someone is intent on creating wrath to achieve an end. That end might not stop at strife, but strife is the next stop on the way to achieve whatever the goal might be.
There’s no absence of folks out there that love to cause as much strife as possible. The Bible calls these kinds of people “Froward.” Here’s a post done about the fruits of being a froward type of person: “Reward of the Froward.”
Know how things Work
I believe that the Lord saw fit to include this verse in his Word, to give us an understanding as to how things work. If we understand how something has started, we can trace a problem back to its root, and deal with it.
In this case, knowing how strife starts can lead us to somehow quench its source. There’s always someone adding fuel to the fire. Remove the fuel, the fire goes out.
Fools meddle with others, not being satisfied until there’s a problem. Someone who is angry at someone else can be a stirring source of agitation, kicking up a whirlwind of strife.
A previous verse in Proverbs tells us that a wrathful man stirs up strife. Well, something made this person given to anger wrathful somehow, right?
There is a trail that leads to strife. To know where that trail begins helps us to at least understand what’s going on.
Blessed are the Peacemakers
Jesus said: “Blessed are the peacemakers.” He doesn’t say anything positive about people who cause strife. In fact, there were constantly people around the Lord that were just chafing at the bit to cause strife however they could.
The Pharisees, lawyers, Saducees, all tried to catch Jesus up with his actions or words, and remove his influence from among the people. They wanted to kill him, but didn’t for fear of the people.
Every time they tried, he confounded their words and efforts, making them look far more foolish. He wasn’t about to go anywhere until his time had come.
When we read parts of scripture concerning Jesus having to contend with people, we see one reason why he didn’t respond to them hastily or carelessly. He recognized their intentions. He knew they were looking to cause strife, and knew the contents of their hearts.
Part of our Ambassadorship in Christ, is to be peacemakers whenever we can. There are people who cause strife at church or in the workplace, or wherever we dwell.
There’s a root and a reason, that every person harbors who causes strife. It may take some prayer to understand any details, but there’s nothing wrong with a bit of boldness as well. Why not just ask? “Hey, what’s wrong? Why are you doing this? Were you aware that this is how you’re coming across? Are you trying to create strife?”
Whatever the answer may be, at least it’s a door opened for some information to start flowing. In there somewhere, there’s a place for Jesus to start working through us, that will eventually cause the strife to cease. \
Either way, to be the peacemaker means that we are not going to be the people who cause strife. Some of us might be doing this without even being aware of it. The world is closely observing all of us Believers to figure out what we’re going to do next, how to trip us up, and what it can get away with.
If we take an honest inward assessment of our hearts, could we be found to be the ones stirring up and forcing wrath to yield strife? If so, take it to the Lord in prayer, and repent. The froward at heart is not an incurable condition!
Related New Testament Scripture
Matthew 5: King James Bible
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Matthew 22: King James Bible
34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
John 5: King James Bible
18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
Romans 13: King James Bible
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
1 Corinthians 3: King James Bible
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
Philippians 2: King James Bible
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Prayer
Father,
Thank you for your Word, your love, your longsuffering, your grace, your guidance, and your magnificence. Equip our hearts and minds to be peacemakers Father, fashioned as after your own heart. If we are found in your eyes to be otherwise, please open our eyes and lead us into repentance, so we are not the cause for wrath and strife. Teach us to move in the Holy Ghost, and to take on the Characteristics of the Lord Jesus Christ whether we realize it or not. May your light shine through all of us. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen
Do you peacefully confront people who cause strife?