Proverbs 6:14 - Homiletics

Sowing discord

I. THE SOWER . He may be of various characters.

1 . A malignant person. Such a one delights in the mischief he makes. He flings the firebrand with fiendish glee because he loves to witness the conflagration. He is a true child of Satan, one to break the peace of Eden, one to set Cain to murder his brother.

2 . A person greedy of power. It is easier to make trouble than to mend it. Nothing is more simple than to scatter seeds of quarrels. A single pebble flung into the middle of a mountain tam will shatter the fair mirror of crag and sky, and spread disturbing wavelets to every shore. There is a sense of power, of producing a great effect, in mischief making.

3 . A selfish person. If we always claim our does and exact our pound of flesh, we must be perpetually embroiled in quarrels. Disregard to the rights of others, which is only too common with the selfish, will lead one individual to plunge a whole society into confusion.

4 . A heedless person. It is so easy to sow discord that we may do the mischievous thing before we are aware of our folly. It needs care and watchfulness to avoid this disastrous conduct.

II. THE SEED .

1 . A misrepresentation. Thomas Carlyle pointed out how often rational quarrels and wars spring from "misunderstandings." If we knew each other better we should be more friendly. Our acquaintances tend to become our friends. But a misrepresentation is the parent of a misunderstanding, and as such the seed of discord.

2 . A hot word. If we approached a troublesome question calmly and patiently we might see a way of avoiding all quarrelling over it. But when the anger is roused everything appears in its worst light; there is no inclination to smooth ever a difficulty; on the contrary, opposition is magnified.

3 . An unkind word, This may be spoken deliberately. The more cool the speaker, the more cutting his speech.

III. THE SOIL . The discord is sown "among brethren."

1 . A possible soil. One would say that here no quarrels can grow. But, alas! they who should love most can hate with bitterest hatred, or, if no deep dislike be engendered, they may still quarrel most fiercely. The first quarrel was between brethren—Cain and Abel. Esau and Jacob, the two Hebrews whom Moses rebuked in Egypt, the nations of Israel and Judah, were all brethren in discord.

2 . A fruitful soil. Surely it would be thought discord among brethren cannot last and spread. But experience proves the contrary. Family feuds are deep, bitter, enduring. Church quarrels are most rancorous. Civil war is sanguinary.

IV. THE HARVEST . This discord is no slight thing like the breeze that disturbs the lake for one moment and speedily leaves it to resume its normal placidity.

1 . It is painful. Pride may conceal the wound, but the sore is not slight. No misery is greater than that of fancily quarrels.

2 . It is injurious. It raises evil passions, hinders harmonious action, wastes resources in internecine strife. All men are of one blood, therefore all war is discord, among brethren; and who shall measure its frightful harvest of woe?

3 . It is unchristian. The gospel proclaims and enforces brotherhood. It helps us to realize the dream of the psalmist, "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" ( Psalms 133:1 ). Christ blessed the peacemaker ( Matthew 5:9 ).