What does the Bible say about strife?

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

The Bible warns against strife and reproves those who cause it:

But avoiding strife is difficult; even in New Testament times, strife cropped up the early church

The cause of strife is underlying sin:

Strife can develop when a difference of opinion becomes the priority in a relationship. Strife is always accompanied by pride and an unteachable spirit in one or both parties.

“Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.” When someone refuses to consider another viewpoint and demands his own way, strife results. Someone bent on strife will not allow compromise, negotiation, or humility.

WE ALL HAVE HAD THAT AWKWARD MOMENT WHEN someone publicly speaks out their opinion of another in a cruel and harsh manner. Oftentimes others are left speechless and caught off guard by a verbal assault intended to destroy someone’s reputation.

That is what is called character assassination. It may involve rumors, innuendos, double-talk, spinning information, exaggeration, or manipulation of facts to present an untrue picture of the targeted person.

When it comes to character assassination, the individuals targeted may suffer rejection by their community, family, or members of their sphere of influence. It damages their reputation and may last a lifetime. Such acts are difficult to reverse or rectify, and in some cases, they tarnish their name even after death. Character assassination is not just an attempt to destroy you; it is also an attempt to destroy your dream.

Joseph was guilty of one thing: being a dreamer. His brothers hated him and his words. They envied the fact that their father loved him. How was it Joseph’s fault that he was the youngest son? His coat wasn’t his idea; it was a gift from his father. If the brothers had issues with anyone, it should have been with their father and not with Joseph.

They despised and detested Joseph’s ability to dream. Their jealousy, insecurity, and failure to recognize God’s favor caused them to fall into the trap of character assassination. It is one thing to be talked about, hated, and verbally mauled by outsiders, but when it is your own church family, it cuts deep.

Reuben and Judah were leaders among their siblings, but even they developed a malicious attitude toward Joseph. It is amazing what happens when a group speaks negatively. Those who are stronger become weak. Instead of standing up for Joseph in their leadership roles, they completely lost regard for their younger brother.

Hateful words cause you to devalue someone. You no longer consider them worthy of normal status. The more you speak evil, the more likely you will become desensitized. The conversation turns from, “That person is an idiot,” to “I’ll tell you what I’d like to do to them.”

Joseph’s dream had no significance to his brothers because they had devalued Joseph. How could they appreciate his dream when they didn’t even appreciate him? They threw him in the pit to die, but when a band of merchants came by, they saw an opportunity to remove themselves from guilt and pass the buck

Now this amazes me. The Bible says they sold Joseph for twenty pieces of silver. It is commonly thought that in the patriarchal days a piece of silver represented the value of a shekel in Jesus’s day. In a 2003 article, a shekel was equivalent to 64 cents .1 Twenty shekels, valued at 64 cents, equals $12.80.

They placed a $12.80 value on their own brother. That amount was pure poverty even in that day.

They didn’t sell Joseph for money. His coat of many colors was probably worth thousands of dollars. When they sold Joseph for such a low price, it had a purpose:

Strife Will Make You or Break You

The word Midianite is just another word for Ishmaelite. It means “contention or strife.”3 Think of it—this is powerful—it was strife that helped Joseph out of the pit. Sometimes you will not get out of the pit until some strife shows up.

Strife means “opposition, agitation, and anger.” Strife will have one of two effects on you: it will make you, or it will break you. It is essential that you understand that strife is the very thing that will be the test of your character. The problem with many is they have the tendency to remain in their pit, burdened down by strife, instead of allowing the strife to build character and shut the mouth of the naysayers and character assassins.