“Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers and overwhelms all transgressions [forgiving and overlooking another’s faults]. 13On the lips of the discerning, [skillful and godly] wisdom is found, But discipline and the rod are for the back of the one who is without common sense and understanding.”

Proverbs 10:12-13 AMP

Strong but wise words from King Solomon! Coming off the previous verse he dives straight into the matter at hand. The source of envy and strife is hate. The Hebrew word here means “a very strong dislike, with accompanying feelings of hostility and actions of opposition;” “malice.” The word malice is the desire to see another experience pain, injury, or distress,” malice implies a deep-seated often unexplainable desire to see another suffer. We are not talking about a simple difference of opinion; we are saying that those who oppose now want to see harm come to those in disagreement! James tells us,

“What leads to [the unending] [a]quarrels and conflicts among you? Do they not come from your [hedonistic] desires that wage war in your [bodily] members [fighting for control over you]? 2You are jealous and covet [what others have] and [b]your lust goes unfulfilled; so you [c]murder. You are envious and cannot obtain [the object of your envy]; so you fight and battle. You do not have because you do not ask [it of God].”

James 4:1-2 AMP

The source of sin is me, myself, and I. When man seeks to find his own fulfillment outside of God, the result is disastrous. We see this playing out in the looting and robing of stores in the name of self. We hear the statement, “I deserve this because…”  while disregarding the rights of those in possession of what one does not have. It has been the same lie that Satan used from the beginning. “Eve, you deserve to be like God and He knows that if you are, He can’t control you!” The result death, destruction of the relationship, and a fall from the grace of God. In reality, the only thing that the unrighteous deserve is judgement as Solomon reminds us in verse 13. The Bible is clear, we are all guilty!

“since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God, 24and are being justified [declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life] as a gift by His [precious, undeserved] [c]grace, through the redemption [the payment for our sin] which is [provided] in Christ Jesus,”

Romans 3:23-24 AMP

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable, overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23 AMP

Again, if I acknowledge the truth that I am the problem, it removes the fuel of my hatred and forces me then to walk in humble response! My hatred and strife turn to repentance and forgiveness freeing me from the clutches of sin. That is the truth that Satan does not want people to realize! Here is a word of instruction from the Apostle Paul,

“The night [this present evil age] is almost gone and the day [of Christ’s return] is almost here. So let us fling away the works of darkness and put on the [full] armor of light. 13Let us conduct ourselves properly and honorably as in the [light of] day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and irresponsibility, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for [nor even think about gratifying] the flesh in regard to its improper desires.”

Romans 13:12-14 AMP

If we, through the power of the Holy Spirit can overcome our fleshly desires, we can walk in the freedom and love of God, reflecting the grace of which rescued our soul!

Have a blessed day, Pastor Ken