Any Dissension Please

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

ANY DISSENSION PLEASE

Prov 16:28

28 A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.

NIV

We are in the midst of a few negative aimed sayings and this one hits straight at the heart of mankind. Are we stirring up dissension when we complain about things? It seems that it is alright, actually patriotic to complain about the government or a particular politician. It seems alright to complain about a certain law that prohibits something we would rather be allowed to do. But it may not be alright to complain about the Pastor, or the church or something that is going on in the church. It may not be alright to complain about the color of the sanctuary, or the music, or the lights or the way something was presented or a whole bunch of other things in the church. This would include the latest scoop about what someone did. Any form of conversation which might in any way create even just a little dissension is nothing more that coming from a perverse person. It would seem the only reason someone would complain or say something negative about the something would be to persuade another to think negatively as well, or create within them an anger or disagreeable attitude toward the same thing. The same result is desired by those who gossip about another person. Gossip, in addition to making the gossiper feel better about themselves as they should, it creates a negative or a better than attitude in the hearer as well. Gossip is never about sharing a good report, but always about what is consider to be a bad action of another and that certainly stirs up dissension too. We need to be careful what we say about everything so that we are not guilty of spreading negativity within the body of Christ, as well as in the community we live.