Proverbs 6:14. [The wicked person] with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord;
Proverbs reminds us here of one of the most important truths of self-awareness that we must embrace – evil comes from a wicked or perverted heart. Or, to say it another way, we always do what we think is the most satisfying, or the most pleasing thing. It’s really that simple. When we do something evil, or when we sow discord, it is because we have a perverted (twisted) heart that wanted to do that evil discordant thing.
Jesus said it this way: Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
The specific evil addressed in this proverb is that of sowing discord. Stirring up strife, arguments, anger, fights. This is the troublemaker that we talked about yesterday. Bu now we get to the root cause of the problem. Why do troublemakers cause trouble? Why do any of us do what we do?
Because it is what our heart tells us to do. Our deepest desire. Our driving force. James explains it this way in his letter:
James 4:1-4. 1What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4You adulterous people!
Outward discord with others (quarrels and fights) comes from an inner war of our passions and desires. Rather than taking all of our desires to God – you ask not – we demand that others meet our needs. That they be the ones who satisfy our desires. What is the cure for our discord? James continues:
James 4:7-10. 7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
The good news is that Jesus doesn’t just tell us what to do, he doesn’t just say Stop it! when confronting our conflicts with one another. He actually changes our heart. He untwists it. He ends our discord from the inside out. How? By giving us a deeper desire for God and for his goodness by our union with Christ. By dwelling in us and writing his law of love on our hearts. By the indwelling Spirit of Christ, God is slowly changing your heart to trust him, love him, and love others.
But God isn’t doing this without you, without your participation and faith. All of us must submit to God, draw near to God, humbling ourselves before him. Repenting with mourning and gloom even. Then the exalting work of the Lord will take hold. Our hearts will be untwisted, and we will become even more like our Savior, the Prince of Peace.
You: Are you sowing discord anywhere? Quarreling? Fighting?
You in Christ: How can trusting the peace of Christ help you to humble yourself before God and seek peace with others?
Christ in you: Where are you seeing Christ untwist your heart lately? In what way are your desires changing?
Pray: Father, keep changing my heart. I don’t want to devise evil anymore. Help me to sow peace not discord as I embrace Christ’s peace in me. Amen.
To Live is Christ 