16 These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
What does it mean to sow discord among brethren? Is it something that one should take lightly? Of course not! Rather, it is something that every saint of God should be aware of and avoid. Sowing is defined as planting seeds on or in the earth. The word discord means a lack of agreement or harmony between persons, things or ideas. It represents something out of balance. When put together the two words mean to initiate ill or corrupt thoughts in the mind of someone, (that can later develop in one’s heart). They mean to create ungodly or negative thoughts about someone else.
When a seed is planted, it does not remain a seed, but it germinates or goes through a growth process. It takes root, grows until it emerges through the top of the soil, and continues to grow. Although starting small, a seed can grow until it becomesas large as the largest tree. The same can happen when evil spiritual seeds are planted into someone’s heart. They grow the same as natural seeds grow. They do not remain seeds, but they germinate, and sometimes turn into very large issues such as bitterness, animosity, ill feelings, hatred, and many other venomous things.
Sowing discord is a deceitful act because it is done through sneakiness, lies, and using gossip in a way that makes the guilty party appear to be the better person. It alters how people think about others and creates mistrust. It can initiate bad judgements, can cause one to voice disparaging comments about a person who was once a devoted friend. It can spoil sound relationships among family members and close friends.
There may be times when jealously creeps into a person’s life, causing them to resort to sowing discord. There may also be times when a person feels threatened by another and discord is sown to try to discredit the individual. These acts are unacceptable with God.
There are many reasons why discord is sown but there is never a good reason to do it. It is so much better to use wisdom and talk to the person or persons involved, rather than use maliciousness and create chaos for self-satisfaction. The positive way to handle a situation is to first pray for spiritual guidance, then communicate with the person, discussing the matters of concern. God hates sowing discord among brethren, and He condemns it (Proverbs 6:19). It is more favorable when a discordant spirit has been detected to immediately discardit. Don’t let ‘it’ become enflamed!
Let us Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for allowing us to understand what sowing discord means. I pray that You will help us to keep an understanding so that we will never fall prey to doing the very thing that You hate. Help us to recognize its presence, wherever it may appear, and denounce it quickly, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
