I was recently having a conversation with someone who was fighting with her in-laws. She gave me reasons why the strife should continue. I said, “Someone will have to end this strife, and I think you must take that honor.”
“Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour forever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then before thou bid the people return from following their brethren?”
2 Samuel 2:26
Joab had been pursuing Abner for several days to kill him because he had killed his brother Asahel. Abner reminded Joab of the repercussions of strife.
1. Strife can devour or cause great damage to a family, marriage, nation, church or an individual.
2. It can devour forever or it can last for a long time. There are people fighting wars they inherited from their ancestors. They were not even the original antagonists.
3. Strife produces the fruit of bitterness for everyone. Either way, you lose.
What do we do then? The words of Abner are timely. “Let us stop following our brethren.” Let us stop hunting one another down. Let us remember that after all, we are brothers. The things that unite us are more than the things that divide us!
Kakra Baiden