Unity or Division

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

UNITY OR DIVISION

Prov 29:22

22 An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.

NIV

There is always somebody upset about something, whether someone is doing too much of something or not enough about something. There are protests aimed at government or rather a person in government elected by the majority. There are protests about social issues. There are protests about religion misusing the concept of separation of church and state. There is someone or several in the workplace that stir up dissension against management, or at least regarding one person in management.  It always seems these who protest are angry, and it is their intent to stir up dissension. There is even people within Christendom that seem to stir up dissension. We have seen churches split over bitter disputes about something. Maybe the present pastor, maybe about some supposed doctrinal statement. The point is wherever people are present we will find someone angry about something. We will also witness their attempts to garner support for their cause. It matters not to them that they are causing dissension, their tempers are aflame and they are committing many sins. We need to be on guard against such individuals as well as making sure we do not become like them. We are admonished to build each other up not tear each other down. When we are faced with a situation of discontent sometimes silence is golden. That is we should not join in these types of conversations which are attempts of stirring up dissension. Perhaps it is done unwillingly, complaining about someone or something that is happening. Whenever we disparage or maligned a person’s character or actions it may be nothing more than mere gossip, which may cause the listener of such speech to think poorly of the person being maligned. There is no cause for such attitudes against others. We are admonished to love each other, and not just the people who love us, but also our enemies, if we have any. We should never join in such gossip or talk about or against someone. Maybe we might consider those who oppose our political, social, religious or workplace views as our enemies, but still we should love them, encouraging unity rather than division.