There is no foolproof formula for recognizing sowers of discord, but Solomon wants to train us to be discerning.
A worthless person, a wicked man,
Goes about with crooked speech,
Winks with his eyes, signals with his feet,
Points with his finger,
With perverted heart devises evil,
Continually sowing discord;
Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly;
In a moment he will be broken beyond healing (Prov 6:12-15, ESV).
1. Take note of crooked speech (Prov 6:12b)
Do they twist words to win sympathy? Do they label their complaints as “concerns,” their anger as “frustration,” or their bitterness as “misunderstanding”? Have they failed to forgive? Do they always have questions but never any answers?
2. Consider body language (Prov 6:13a)
When around people who offend them, do they roll their eyes, grimace, or shake their heads? Do they make eye contact with you when the other person turns away? Does their posture communicate disrespect or defensiveness?
3. Refuse to join the gang (Prov 6:13b).
a2gemma (2007), Creative Commons
The Sower of Discord “points with his finger” in an effort to persuade others to join his team. He’s a sneaky communicator, and his destructive power lies in his ability to recruit. Whenever someone has a complaint against another person, your best response is, “did you talk to that person about it?”
Sowing discord is one of the most prevalent and most disregarded sins in the church today. We think of gossip as something that happens on daytime talk shows, and we ignore it in the fellowship hall. We think slander deserves discipline only if it’s intentionally and overtly deceitful. Perhaps we’ll confront those who purposefully spread bad reports about others, but Proverbs is just as concerned to confront those who endorse those reports by giving them a hearing (Prov 26:20-28).
This passage convicts me thoroughly. I am as guilty as anyone of speaking ill, sowing discord, and fighting unity. I have shared details I didn’t need to share. I have discussed the failings of my supervisors with my subordinates. I have asked for the low down on specific people, and I have entertained conversations that went in the wrong direction. I have asked Jesus to change me, and I wrestle my self-importance daily.
If you are broken by this text, there is much hope for your repentance and healing. You can act as glue to reunite the shards of your once-vibrant community. You can unleash Christ’s redemptive glory in your church, and he can restore his body to full and proper functioning. Learn to recognize the characteristics of the Sower of Discord, and exterminate them from your heart and your church.
But if you find yourself still making excuses for sowing discord (or for aiding and abetting others to sow discord), you’ll be ruined before you know what hits you (Prov 6:15). God doesn’t like it when people mess with his wife.
Question: What else helps you to recognize sowers of discord?
Interesting post, Peter. Some of the signs you mention are also typical of the scorner (like privately rolling your eyes at someone) and such disdain is never honorable. I agree that a “concerned, frustrated, and misunderstood” person may be a subtle sower of discord and I have met them in the church and the workplace. However, I have also seen people in both contexts label others as “angry complainers” rather than deal with their legitimate concerns. When a leader, in particular, quickly dismisses everyone who disagrees with him as a sower of discord, it is a red flag for authoritarian leadership. By being too quick to write people off as scorners or sowers of discord, a person actually becomes one himself. Thus, humility is required of all.
Good points, David. I agree that humility (and wisdom) is required of all.
So they are narcissists then? This tells me more of the verse than I assumed. I’m glad I looked into it. This is much worse than what I thought but makes more sense as to why God hates these actions. It helps me understand what I need to in much greater light. Thank you gentlemen.
Thank you so much.. having lots of problems in my assignment at church.. same low level devil that different leader’s can’t see doing the almost exact thing. Actually thinking the same way about some one as people persuade them.. discord by not changing the atmosphere keeps discord going, I warned them but they got it! so they think.. thank you for showing the truth of that discord.. wish you prosperity and good health.
I have recently mentioned to others about “sowing discord” and found that those individuals whom I spoke to about it had no clue as to what it was. Unfortunately what we don’t know can have continuing repercussions on us . What we don’t know can hurt us. Sowing discord can lead to more sowing of it and separate churches and brethren, destroying communication and unity . What I learned from the article was that others were unaware that we are to avoid sowers of discord because it is destructive. I knew that we were supposed to avoid them but realize more and more everyday the importance of Prayer and avoidance. Thank you for the information as it has been helpful. Scriptural evidence is always helpful because “all scripture is inspired by God for true evidence of God’s Word ” ! Thanks again
Thank you, this was convicting for me and I praise God for it!!!
My pastor is using other people’s sermons off the internet. I have talked to him about it and he has not stopped. I talked to a leader about it who initially thought that what he was doing was wrong but after talking to him changed their mind. Would it be sowing discord to tell someone else? I have been struggling with this for 10 months.
It likely depends on how you go about doing it. I wouldn’t recommend talking to just anyone in the church about your struggle, but to another elder or someone else in a position to do something about it. Is there an overseeing body (such as a denominational official) you could appeal to? But before you take even that step, have you had more than one conversation with your pastor, to ensure you understand his perspective?
What i don’t understand about Margaret’s issue is…if the message in the sermon is truth and He/She is relaying it to the church, ( like Jesus, giving us a model prayer or the deciples who past down from generations the Gospel) in what harm is the one giving the sermon wrong? Is it not by self gratification and like the Pharaceys who boost and claim to be the only one to give “Truth” etc.?
I believe 🙏 🙌 that as long as the one giving the sermon gives reference to where the talk comes from as we do when we say “Jesus said” is perfectly acceptable. Love one another and try not to muddy the waters. ❤ Ty Father Abba! Ty Father Jesus! And Ty Holy Spirit!
PAUL’S attitude here should be helpful in resolving this.
15Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: 16The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: 17But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. 18What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
Is this preacher of the word speaking the word of God to others? We repeat and share good information. I’m trying to understand what and who is making a problem? See below…
the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. 18What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
Rejoice, elev if someone else said it. We often repeat what others say. I get my best ideas , sometimes sparked by others. Without offense, seriously, if he’s sharing the word of God what’s the problem? Please explain
Selina
I were reading 📚 my Bible one Wednesday morning 🌄 and proverbs 6:19 cross my mind. And I wanted the full meaning of soweth discord among brethren.First thing I did was repent. When I learned the true meaning of it.So glad I found this site. Perishing from lack of knowledge.I will share this.Thanks
Sister, whether it is someone else’s sermon or one’s own. What is the problem? Let God speak to you through his Word and don’t waste time on the internet. If he teaches false doctrine that is something else. As long as I teach God’s truth, don’t worry about where it comes from. Every Sunday when you arrive at church, ask God to speak to you through his Word and I assure you that you will leave full. There are truths that I learn through my pastor and during the week I love to share them with others. As long as I build others I will continue to do it even though I learned it from another. This is how I look at my pastor. If he learned something uplifting why close our minds to it. God bless you next Sunday.
I did Not like your post. I did a search because I feel my sister in law is a sower of discord, yet I was horrified when reading when I realized I too Am a sower of discord. Thank you for letting God speak through you in your message. I especially like the part where we refocus the gossip by responding ” Did I talk to that person about it?” I know this is about church conduct but it is very relevant in my family life because the enemy is trying to tear us apart. Praying for unity in my family.
I don’t want to be a sewer of discord, but what if the leaders are not trust worthy? What if there is no accountability? No larger denomination and the elders are all related or close friends for many years. I made a covenant with my church and I’ve been taught (and initially agreed) that to break that covenant will send me to hell. I’ve been exposed to sin and failings, inconsistencies, meanness in leadership. Anyone who addresses it suffers character assassination and removal from placed of service, and public rebuking. I feel the only voice I have is to anonymously expose these things, but that would cause distrust and make me one who sows discord. I’m distraught and don’t know what to do.
Thanks for writing. The thing about wisdom is that it’s not about universal principles that apply the same way in every situation. There are times when it is appropriate to resist wrongdoing and abuses of power. Perhaps it would be worth considering what the proverbs say about strife.
https://www.knowableword.com/2023/03/31/why-strife-is-so-complex/
https://www.knowableword.com/2023/04/07/overcome-your-enemies-by-dying/