Abraham Maslow is quoted as saying “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” Solomon is credited as the author of Proverbs and mentioned strife many times. Solomon wanted to show people how to use their wisdom to live life to its best. But he recognized that there would be many things that interfered with enjoying life as God meant it to be lived. Solomon had many quotes attributed to him such as: “The poor are hated even by those close to us, but the rich have many friends; and a fool when he is silent, may seem wise; the one who passes by, interferes in someone else’s quarrel grabs the dog by the ears; the prudent one sees trouble and takes refuge, but the inexperienced go ahead and are punished; wealth is depleted from vanity, and the one who collects by labor multiplies it; a foolish son is a grief to his father, and a quarrelsome wife is a drain; the long-suffering is better than the brave, and the self-mastery is better than the conqueror of the city.” (Staff, 2020) The list of quotes is huge but his best-known writings are Proverbs.
Solomon, in his great wisdom, wrote about the source of strife in Proverbs 10:12 “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses” because “By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom” (Prov 13:10). If someone loses control of their emotions, it is easy to see that “A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention” (Prov 15:18) for “Whoever loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction” (Prov 17:19) so you must “Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarreling and abuse will cease” (Prov 22:10). If left unchecked, “A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression” (Prov 29:22). God is not ever the source of strife as Isaiah writes “If anyone stirs up strife, it is not from me; whoever stirs up strife with you shall fall because of you” (Wellman, 2015)
Strife is an angry or bitter disagreement over fundamental issues. “Strife is a strong and ongoing conflict over a fundamental issue. Strife is deeper than argument, broader than disagreement. Strife usually involves bitterness and sometimes violence. We see strife today often in the political realm, as candidates for office launch vitriolic attacks against their political foes. Strife within families can result in lifelong emotional scars. Strife between nations can lead to war. When strife occurs among believers, the church’s testimony is tarnished and Christ is dishonored.” (Staff, Got Questions, 2020 ) Over the last few years, the liberal left has made a special effort to cause as much strife and harm as possible. It is said that America is under attack from those pushing a socialist agenda. During this period groups like Black life’s Maters, Antifa, Liberty Union Party, Peace and Freedom Party, Socialist Alternative, and the Socialist Party USA have worked hard to disrupt American values. Our emigration laws have been ignored; churches have been forced to close because of a virus that has been used as political warfare. Sexual orientation has been intentionally confused; deviant sex acts are being displayed in public. Women’s sports have been ruined by boys who have mental issues and being allowed and encouraged to compete against the girls. People like Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and Anthony S. Fauci are censoring legitimate information and spreading disinformation to benefit their liberal agendas. Strife and discord are the norms rather than the exception. Antifa, KKK, and the Alt-right have no problem burning down west coast towns that have liberal leaders that condole such actions. Crooked politicians, communist-inspired congressman, and local politicians enjoying their kickbacks, bribes, and illegal powers turning a blind eye to the illegal activities and anti-American agendas. Strife is everywhere and most decent Americans cannot hide from the sad results. So, what should people do the survive the onslaught of hatred, deviant behavior, and criminal rule? Solomon encourages us by stating in Proverbs 28:25 “A greedy man stirs up strife, but the one who trusts in the Lord will be enriched.” We may not be in control of our country and things may be really bad but we have to remember that God is now, has been, and will be in control. We cannot give up because evil is in control. God will change things as he sees fit. It is not up to us to question. “Strife means bitter conflict of some form. It refers to a form of antagonism. Whenever (I) get stressed it is often because (I) feel frustrated with the gap between how (I) wish things would be and how they actually are. In many ways, this is a form of bitter disagreement that leads to stress. Furthermore, such disagreement is not limited to the world. It also exists between our inner selves. How (I) wish (I) would be and how I actually behave are also sometimes in stark disagreement.” (Fitzpatrick, n.d.) We need to remember and obey Proverbs 20:3 “It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.”
So, when we are confronted by evil and worrisome individuals what do we do. How do we defend ourselves from their vile words and actions and how do we act to keep from becoming a part of their group? We must be aware that conflict comes from all types of people and all conflict is not necessarily bad. But some are just not happy unless they have something stirred up all the time. “High-conflict people (HCPs) have high-conflict personalities. This means they have an ongoing pattern of all-or-nothing thinking, unmanaged emotions, extreme behavior or threats, and a preoccupation with blaming others. They have a Target of Blame, whom they regularly bully, harass, blame, humiliate, annoy, spread rumors about, and subject to many other adversarial behaviors. This pattern increases and maintains interpersonal conflicts, rather than reducing or resolving them — which is what most people try to do. How can you spot HCPs early on, instead of being caught by surprise? How can you avoid marrying them, hiring them, working for them, living next door to them, or any other number of bad situations? Look at their words, your emotions, and their behavior.” (Eddy, 2017) Their words usually draw a picture bigger than reality with tension and rage involved. Their emotions tend to make you on guard and uneasy. The HCP person will act out and then try to justify their bad behavior with excuses or blaming someone else’s behavior. We all have issues and we all act out occasionally but the HCP person is in constant turmoil causing everyone around them to be uncomfortable. Solomon again described these people in Proverbs 29:22 stating “A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression.” We must listen to these words and try to avoid strife. When we allow strife, conflict, and discord into our lives we allow good judgment and Godly actions to leave us. There are only two ways to conduct ourselves. We can live by what Jesus has taught us or we can follow the bad advice freely given by the Devil. “God most definitely wants us to be happy. Psalm 37:4 reads, ‘Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.’ And Psalm 126:2 says, ‘Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.’ In fact, God tells us to be happy more times in Scripture than any other command.” (Kirby, 2021) Solomon reminds us in Proverbs 16:20 that “Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.”
Eddy, B. (2017, 11 12). Psychology Today. Retrieved from 5 Types of People Who Can Ruin Your Life – How to Quickly Spot High-Conflict People: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/5-types-people-who-can-ruin-your-life/201711/how-quickly-spot-high-conflict-people
Fitzpatrick, O. (n.d.). Owen Fitzpatrick. Retrieved from The Meaning of Strife: https://owenfitzpatrick.com/blog/the-meaning-of-strife/
Kirby, S. (2021, 1 5). BetterHelp. Retrieved from Most Helpful Bible Verses about Happiness: https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/happiness/most-helpful-bible-verses-about-happiness/
Staff. (2020, 2 2). Got Questions. Retrieved from Bible Strife: https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-strife.html
Staff. (2020, 7 8). iia-rf. Retrieved from The Wise Sayings of Solomon: https://iia-rf.ru/en/scarves/mudrye-izrecheniya-solomona-citaty-solomona-v-nashe-vremya-aforizmy/
Wellman, J. (2015, 8 19). Christian Crier. Retrieved from What does Strife mean: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/christiancrier/2015/08/19/what-does-strife-mean-a-biblical-definition-of-strife/