What God Hates
“These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven is an abomination to Him,” (Proverbs 6:16) Wow. Now that is a heavy statement. We don’t want to do something that God hates much less what is an abomination to Him. The wise man goes through the list of six and then lands on the final one, the 7th one. This last one is not only hated by God but is an abomination. “And one who sows discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:19b)
What does it mean to “sow discord” among the church? The idea of sowing for the people back in Solomon’s times was much different than in our time of large combines, meticulous sowers, and fast reapers. The sower would have a bag of seed slung over his neck and would indiscriminately throw a handful of seed out into the field. His rows were not in a straight line. He just threw it out there and hoped for a harvest, and usually it came. The idea of the proverb is the throwing out the seed everywhere and anywhere. In the same manner the person who sows discord… just throws it out there with a hope that it will take root and bring in a crop of disgust, disagreement, and disunity. God hates this. In fact, the wise man says it is more than that, it is an abomination. It is on the same level as Deuteronomy 24:1-4 when a woman who leaves her husband, marries another, and then comes back to her first husband. Wow! Gossip is worse than adultery.
Discord is simple to understand. It is like a singer who is “off key” or not on the same musical note for the song. When I was learning how to sing, the most excruciating sound from my voice was one that was just a little bit off pitch. It was so close to be deafening. Discord is like that in that it is close to the truth but not truth. The louder I sang off key, the worse it was. So in sowing discord, it can and ought to make one close his ears and get away.
A person who sows discord separates friends. Pro 16:28 “A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends.” Pro 22:10 “Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.” I have watched this up close. It begins with a little thought or whisper, a doubting thought. “I don’t want to say anything but…” A “maybe” type of statement. It broods and sends out roots until fruit comes. When that simple thought separates friends, brothers in Christ, and even family members fall away. I have watched a couple of churches destroyed because of this abomination.
Tough stuff. So what about the opposite of sowing discord? “To discover what the LORD desires, one need only list the opposites: humility, truthful speech, preservation of life, pure thoughts, eagerness to do good, honest witnesses, and peaceful harmony.” Let’s work on those seven blessings.
Here is how to respond to one who is “sowing discord” among the brothers.
1. Request clarification of the statement. “What are you saying?”
2. Insure the validity of the statement. “Do you know this to be true, firsthand?”
3. Ask for the motivation. “If so, why are you telling me?”
4. Bring up the solution. “Let’s go and talk to the one you are talking about.”
5. Rebuke and don’t listen. “He is my friend and I will not listen to your discord.”
What does it mean to “sow discord” among the church? The idea of sowing for the people back in Solomon’s times was much different than in our time of large combines, meticulous sowers, and fast reapers. The sower would have a bag of seed slung over his neck and would indiscriminately throw a handful of seed out into the field. His rows were not in a straight line. He just threw it out there and hoped for a harvest, and usually it came. The idea of the proverb is the throwing out the seed everywhere and anywhere. In the same manner the person who sows discord… just throws it out there with a hope that it will take root and bring in a crop of disgust, disagreement, and disunity. God hates this. In fact, the wise man says it is more than that, it is an abomination. It is on the same level as Deuteronomy 24:1-4 when a woman who leaves her husband, marries another, and then comes back to her first husband. Wow! Gossip is worse than adultery.
Discord is simple to understand. It is like a singer who is “off key” or not on the same musical note for the song. When I was learning how to sing, the most excruciating sound from my voice was one that was just a little bit off pitch. It was so close to be deafening. Discord is like that in that it is close to the truth but not truth. The louder I sang off key, the worse it was. So in sowing discord, it can and ought to make one close his ears and get away.
A person who sows discord separates friends. Pro 16:28 “A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends.” Pro 22:10 “Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.” I have watched this up close. It begins with a little thought or whisper, a doubting thought. “I don’t want to say anything but…” A “maybe” type of statement. It broods and sends out roots until fruit comes. When that simple thought separates friends, brothers in Christ, and even family members fall away. I have watched a couple of churches destroyed because of this abomination.
Tough stuff. So what about the opposite of sowing discord? “To discover what the LORD desires, one need only list the opposites: humility, truthful speech, preservation of life, pure thoughts, eagerness to do good, honest witnesses, and peaceful harmony.” Let’s work on those seven blessings.
Here is how to respond to one who is “sowing discord” among the brothers.
1. Request clarification of the statement. “What are you saying?”
2. Insure the validity of the statement. “Do you know this to be true, firsthand?”
3. Ask for the motivation. “If so, why are you telling me?”
4. Bring up the solution. “Let’s go and talk to the one you are talking about.”
5. Rebuke and don’t listen. “He is my friend and I will not listen to your discord.”
posted by ipastorwill at 4:27 PM
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